Saint Alexander Hotovitzky

Saint Alexander Hotovitzky (1872-1937)

and

Matushka Maria (born Shcherbukhina) Hotovitzky (18__ - 19__)

Missionary to North America, and Hieromartyr under the Bolshevik yoke

Hotovitzky may be spelt Hotovitsky, Khotovitsky.

Early life of Alexander Alexandrovich Hotovitzky

Alexander Alexandrovich Hotovitzky was born on 11 February, 1872, into the pious family of the Archpriest Alexander Hotovitzky, who was rector of the Volhynia Theological Seminary (then in Kremenets, now in Lutsk), and who would later be long remembered in the hearts of the Orthodox inhabitants of Volhynia as a good shepherd. He was born in the city of Kremenets (now in the Ternopil province of Ukraine), which was at that time a part of the Province of Galicia (Halychina). In those days, this was within the territory of the Russian Empire.

Young Alexander received a good Orthodox Christian upbringing in the Russian Orthodox Church from his parents, who instilled in him love for the Orthodox Christian Church and for the people of God.

Higher education

After his primary education, Alexander Alexandrovich studied at the Volhynia Seminary.

Once he had graduated from the seminary, he enrolled in the Saint Petersburg Theological Academy, from which he received a Master’s Degree in Theology in 1895.

Missionary service in North America, 1895

Upon completion of his studies, Alexander Alexandrovich was recruited for missionary service in the Diocese of the Aleutians and North America. With Bishop Nicholas (Ziorov), he first went to San Francisco, California. He was then assigned to the position of lay-missionary and reader at the newly-established Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church in New York City, New York.

Marriage, 1896

In 1896 Alexander Alexandrovich Hotovitzky was married to Maria Vladimirovna Shcherbukhina in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Maria Vladimirovna was a graduate of the Pavlovsk Institute in Saint Petersburg.

Diaconal ordination, 1896

Following his marriage, Alexander Alexandrovich Hotovitzky was ordained to the Holy Diaconate.

Presbyteral ordination, 1896

Soon afterwards, on 25 February, 1896, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Bishop Nicholas (Ziorov) of the Aleutians and North America, whom Father Alexander would always later remember with gratitude and love. The ordination took place at the Holy Trinity diocesan cathedral in San Francisco, California.

In his address to the newly-ordained Father Alexander, Bishop Nicholas explained his selection of the new priest for ordained ministry in these words :

 Your special sense of decency, your good upbringing, your noble idealism, and your sincere 
 piety immediately caused me to look favorably upon you and compelled me to single you out 
 among the young people, with whom you used to visit me in Saint Petersburg. [...] I could see 
 that you had that special spark from God, which makes any service an action truly done for 
 God’s sake, and without which a vocation becomes soul-less and dead work. [...] Your first
 experience in preaching has shown you the power of this kind of inspiration: you saw how the 
 people gathered around you and how attentively they stood and listened at length to your 
 discourses. [...] Why did these people listen to you rather than going to hear other preachers ? 
 Clearly the spark which burns within you attracts the hearts of these people like a magnet.

Pastoral service

Assignment to North America, 1897

A week after his ordination, the young priest and his wife returned to New York. There, he took up pastoral service in the parish in which he had previously served as a reader, that is, Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church. He was an assistant priest in this parish.

Travel with Bishop Nicholas (Ziorov)

In November, 1897, Father Alexander Hotovitzky accompanied Bishop Nicholas (Ziorov) when the bishop went to Washington, DC, in order to meet President W McKinley. Bishop Nicholas was accompanied also by the Priests _n_ Protopopov and Sebastian (Dabović) of San Francisco. The purpose of this meeting was to present to the president a detailed complaint about the theft of Church properties in Alaska, a misappropriation and theft which had been occurring for a long time. Earlier in that year, there had been an unwelcome development at Saint Michael, on Saint Michael's Island (on the south of Norton Sound in the Bering Sea, south of Nome, Alaska, not far north of the mouth of the Yukon River), at the beginning of the gold-rush in that region. During this time, although Saint Michael had long been a popular trading-post, a military post had been established there during that year, and the Yup'ik people of that region were being forcibly moved from their villages on the island into the large settlement. The meeting with the President followed the visit earlier in the year to the Alaskan parishes by Bishop Nicholas, who documented the abuses, and reported them also to the Imperial Ambassador of Russia in Washington. As was reported in the “Russian American Messenger”,

 One of the matters complained of was that the trading companies refuse to recognise the Church 
 holy days, and they compel the Bishop's people to work even on Sunday.  In regard to the request 
 for the survey, he complained that the trading companies are endeavouring to steal their properties. 
 
 When the Russian government sold Alaska to the United States it withheld certain properties owned 
 by the Church, and it is these properties for which the Bishop asks protection. President McKinley 
 requested the Bishop to submit a detailed report, giving him the facts in the case, that he might 
 submit it to Congress.  It was stated at the legation that a very unpleasant condition of affairs 
 has been existing for some time between the trading companies and the church, but the lack of 
 facilities for communication has made it impossible until now to bring the matter before the President.  
 The Bishop feels satisfied with his visit, and will submit the report in a few weeks.  While the 
 delegation was in Washington, and since there was at that time no Orthodox Christian Church in the 
 city, the Bishop and the 3 priests offered services in the Imperial Russian Embassy there.

From 1898 to 1907, the Priest Alexander Hotovitzky served as a pastor under the omophor of Bishop Tikhon (Belavin).

Rector of Saint Nicholas Church, New York

After the departure to Russia of the rector of the Saint Nicholas Parish, the Priest Evtikhiy Balanovich, Father Alexander was assigned there in his place.

Having become rector of the Saint Nicholas Parish, in 1899, the young shepherd took on the demanding work of building the new, majestic Saint Nicholas Church in Manhattan instead of the small parish church in the mezzanine of the house at 323, 2nd Avenue.

With the blessing of Bishop Tikhon (Belavin), on 13/25 August, 1899, Father Alexander bought land for the construction of the new Temple on 97th Avenue in New York.

In February, 1900, he received the blessing from the Most Holy Synod, and also from the emperor, Tsar Nikolai Alexandrovich, to raise funds for the construction of the new Temple of Saint Nicholas. Thus, the blessing came from the highest authorities, both ecclesiastical, and political.

With Father Alexander as the head of the Saint Nicholas parish in New York City, this community immediately flourished. As a consequence, Father Alexander was able to initiate the construction of a new cathedral at 15 East 97th Street in New York. This arduous burden of construction resulted in the architecturally remarkable and majestic Saint Nicholas Cathedral in New York, which replaced the previous small parish church. The cathedral was to become an adornment of the city itself. He visited Orthodox communities throughout the USA in order to solicit funds for the construction of the Cathedral.

In 1900, Father Alexander travelled to his homeland, Russia, for the purpose of fundraising. Tsar Nicholas II was the first contributor. He contributed 5,000 rubles, and he stated that it was a matter of great importance. Then Father Alexander visited the righteous Father John of Kronstadt. About this meeting, Father Alexander later said :

 In the morning I was in church.  Here Father John called me, took my collection book, and on 
 the title page wrote : 
 'Lord, bless this book of the national team and the work for which it was given, with a 
 blessing omnipotent, and potent to draw the hearts of Your faithful slaves to the priest-missionary.  
 May all be disposed in his favour, or rather, in favour of the work of God.  Kronstadt Archpriest John
 Sergiev.  I sacrifice two hundred rubles, 27 March, 1900.

On the meaning of the blessing of the righteous one of Kronstadt, Father Alexander recalled in his memoirs that :

 With this book I went through Holy Russia, and everywhere this inscription opened people's hearts.  
 Everywhere the mention of the blessing of Father John to this holy work opened wallets ; and, thus, 
 Father John was in the strict sense, the creator of our temple in New York.

The five-domed cathedral with the parish house in the beautiful Moscow Baroque style (architect Ivan Viktorovich Bergesen) was built in 2 years.

Saint Nicholas Church

Archpriest

On 17 February/2 March, 1902, Bishop Tikhon (Belavin) of the Aleutians and North America elevated the Priest Alexander Hotovitsky to the dignity of archpriest.

On 18 April, 1902, the parish community was able to move into the new structure, and to worship there while the construction was brought to completion.

Sanctification of the Temple

This Temple was solemnly sanctified by Bishop Tikhon (Belavin) on 9/22 May, 1902. The ceremonial sanctification of the Temple by the bishop was described by its rector, the Archpriest A A Hotovitsky in his article 'The Celebration of the Consecration of the Russian Orthodox Church in New York' in “American Orthodox Messenger”, (1902, vol. 6, no. 22, pp. 460-467). This was on the day of the celebration of the transfer of the holy relics of Saint Nicholas the Wonder-worker from Myra in Lycia to Bari in Italy. More than 20 clergy took part in its solemn sanctification on 9/22 May, 1902. In the Temple with a capacity of 900 people, there stood 2,000 in attendance ; more than 1,000 others prayed outside. Vladyka Tikhon, in his sermon after the sanctification, noted the significance of the writings of Father Alexander.

With trepidation, the whole flock listened to the words of edification from Bishop Tikhon :

 We have repeatedly complained that our church is poor, cramped, and uncomfortable.  Now such 
 lamentations are put to an end, and the Lord has heard our heartfelt sighing that a temple worthy 
 of the Russian people and corresponding to the greatness of the Orthodox Faith would be erected 
 in this great city ! True, our new temple is inferior in many riches to many churches of the great 
 Russian land ; but, like Solomon’s temple, it has missionary significance : we hope that the 
 heterodox will hear about it, and will come into it, and pray here, and their hands will be 
 lifted to our God.

 Stand in the Orthodox Faith ; keep your own traditions ; love the temple of God.  You are a 
 chosen race, a people chosen for His inheritance in order to proclaim to the people around us 
 who are not Orthodox the wonderful light of Orthodoxy.

In the annals of Saint Nicholas Church, it is recorded that :

 This Cathedral was established and constructed in the City of New York in North America, under 
 the supervision and through the efforts and labours of the most honourable Archpriest Father 
 Alexander Hotovitzky in the year of Our Lord 1902.

According to the decree of the Most Holy Synod on 12/25 December, 1903 (No. 6031) the Temple of Saint Nicholas in the city of New York was elevated to the status of “sobor” (because of its large size).

On 22 October/4 November, 1904, the chapel in the New York Cathedral in honour of the Feast of the Nativity of the Mother of God was sanctified with the participation of Bishops Tikhon (Belavin), Raphael (Hawaweeny), and Father Alexander Hotovitzky.

Once the new cathedral in New York was opened, the transition of Carpathian Rusyns from the Unia to the Orthodox Christian Church became more rapid. Father Alexander travelled to various cities in the USA, where he strengthened those who had converted. Thousands of people attended meetings after the services. Uniat clergy often stirred up antipathy amongst the Uniats against Orthodox priests. The cathedral Priest Feofan Buketov recalled :

 Father Alexander was nearly killed in Bayonne, New Jersey.  He came there alone in the evening.  
 A huge crowd advanced towards him.  Because of his myopia, Father Hotovitzky mistook them for 
 a crowd of Orthodox Christians who had come to meet him, and he approached them gullibly. 
 'Are you Hotovitsky ?' they questioned him.  He responded. 'I am'.  Then one of the leaders 
 suddenly hit Father Alexander in the face with his fist.  How did he not break his glasses and 
 blind him ? Father Alexander only cried out and fell to the ground without feeling.  This saved him.  
 When the furious crowd seemed to have killed him, they fled in fear.

In the following year, on 1/14 September, 1905, in connexion with the transfer of the bishop’s see from San Francisco to New York, the Sobor of Saint Nicholas was elevated to the status of diocesan cathedral.

By this time, the Greek Orthodox community, which had a very large immigration in New York City, had been able to establish 2 Greek-speaking parishes there (Saint Nicholas and Annunciation), and to import 2 priests from the Church of Greece to serve them.

Saint Nicholas Cathedral Fresco in Saint Nicholas Cathedral

Bishop Tikhon highly valued Father Alexander’s sincere piety, his gift of pastoral love, and his multifaceted theological erudition. The spectrum of his activity in the USA was quite broad and very fruitful. Father Alexander was successful in missionary service, primarily amongst Uniats newly-emigrated from Galicia and Carpathian Rus'. He was also one of the closest collaborators of the Orthodox Christian archpastors in North America, and he represented the Orthodox Christian Church before American religious institutions and in meetings.

Editor of the Russian Orthodox Messenger

Actively engaged in missionary work, Father Alexander preached very frequently. He was the chief editor and one of the main authors of the “Russian Orthodox American Messenger”, published in Russian and English. He participated in the creation of the “Russian Orthodox Catholic Religious Mutual Aid Society” (ROCMAS) on 10 April, 1895, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He was its treasurer, its first secretary, and then its chairman. Under his leadership, the “Mutual Aid Society” began to give help not only to immigrants, but also to Ruthenians in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, to the Macedonian Slavs, and during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, to Russian soldiers in Manchuria and prisoners of war in Japanese camps.

Cover of an issue of the “Russian (American) Orthodox Messenger”

At the beginning of his service, Father Alexander described the difficult conditions of shepherding in the American environment (a condition which has changed little since then) :

 In America, in the absence of harsh winters and improved means of communication, freezing is 
 hardly possible.  But isn’t the worst winter raging here that of cold unbelief and stupid 
 indifference to religion, when not bodies, but souls die ? Heartfelt pain and sadness filled 
 his writings, 'Missionary Thoughts'.  He regretted that there were no deeply faithful and 
 devoted people such as were common in the Russian Empire.  But isn’t it wild in America to hear 
 such a statement : 'I am an Orthodox Christian, but for “business” I must adhere to it'. 
 Or : 'They didn’t come to church, for it was raining'.  And if the latter happens, then instead 
 of the usual 60–80 people, 15 will come [...].  And how to light a fire of faith in those whom 
 you see only 2-3 hours a week ? [...] However, there are very few such blessed shepherds who 
 have only one parish.  Usually everyone has 2-3 parishes [...].  But the goal of our, like any 
 mission, is not only to support, but also to spread Orthodoxy. [...] Of course, we are poor, 
 we are very poor [...] But what would this kind of 'missionary work' be with an excess ? [...] 
 What feelings can we experience when we see how this mission is gradually enriched 
 with the flock, how the city is decorated with its magnificent temples, how her evangelism 
 is expanding in far spaces, leading to the sheepfold the lost and new sheep. [...] The Lord helps us - 
 apparently, noticeably.

Father Alexander served as a member and as secretary of the first All-American Sobor (Council) of the Russian Orthodox Greek-Catholic Church in America in Mayfield, Pennsylvania (5-7 March, 1907). Together with Archpriest Alexis Toth, he contributed to the transition of the Carpathian Ruthenians living in North America from the Unia to the Orthodox Church.

During his years of service, Father Alexander was successful in his missionary activities amongst the émigrés from Galicia and Carpatho-Russia. Through his efforts, 12 Orthodox parishes were established on the East Coast of the USA, including : Saint Michael’s Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; Holy Trinity Church in Yonkers, New York ; Saint Basil’s Church in Watervliet, New York ; Saints Peter and Paul’s Church in Passaic, New Jersey ; and many others besides in other large and small towns throughout North America. The parishioners of these churches included “cradle Orthodox” whom particular circumstances had brought to North America, as well as Carpatho-Rusyns converted from the Unia, and former Protestants, now converts to the Orthodox Christian Faith.

An important contribution to the witness of the truth of Orthodoxy before heterodox North American society was made by the “Russian Orthodox American Messenger”, which was published both in the English and the Russian languages under Father Alexander’s editorship. Articles by the editor regularly appeared in this journal.

In 1905, the treaty that ended the Russo-Japanese War was negotiated through the initiative of President Theodore Roosevelt. The negotiations and signing took place in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Father Alexander was amongst the Orthodox Christian clergy who travelled to Portsmouth for the occasion, where a Moleben (Paraklesis) of Thanksgiving was held in the local Episcopalian Christ Church. The Archpriest Alexander Hotovitzky served a solemn “Te Deum” service with the choristers from Saint Nicholas Cathedral participating.

10 years of pastoral missionary service

On 26 February, 1906, the Orthodox Christian diocese in North America celebrated the tenth anniversary of the priestly service of Archpriest Alexander Hotovitzky, one of its most remarkable pastors. Bishop Tikhon (Belavin) greeted the archpriest with these words :

 As you remember your ordination as a priest of God at this anniversary, you are doubtless 
 contemplating how you have used your God-given talents, and asking yourself if the 
 Grace of God was bestowed on you in vain and how far you have advanced on the path of moral 
 perfection.  As you judge yourself in this way, you are at the same time the judge and the 
 accused.  In order for a judgement to be fair, the testimony of onlookers, the witnesses,
 must be heard.  Now they are speaking before you – listen to them.  Thanks be to the Lord ! We 
 just heard their eloquent and heartfelt testimony praising you.  For myself as your superior, 
 I can testify that you have proven to be trustworthy, and have justified the expectations 
 which were hoped for at your ordination.

Missionary work in Eastern Canada, 1906

In 1906, the young Priest Alexander Hotovitzky was sent by Bishop Tikhon (Belavin) from New York to Halifax and Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, in order to meet with Orthodox Christian believers there about the possible establishment of a community or communities in the Maritimes. Halifax was the major port of entry for immigrants to Canada. The steel-mills of Sydney employed large numbers of migrant workers.

Also in 1906, in response to a request to Bishop Tikhon by the local Russian-speaking people in Montréal, Québec, Father Alexander visited them in order to help them. As reported by Bishop Job (Smakouz) of the Canadian Moscow Patriarchate parishes in his article about Father Alexander, the request had been made by the local community through the auspices of the local Russian consul Nikolai Berngardovich Struve (before this visit, Father Alexander had baptised his newborn baby 2 years earlier).

The consul, occasionally visiting New York City, had met with Bishop Tikhon and he had reported
to the bishop about the increase in the number of Russian-speakers in Canada and the imminent
need to have a canonical Russian Orthodox Church in Montreal, served by a priest, which could
counteract the activities of the self-styled 'Seraphimite' clergy, whose influence had already spread
from Winnipeg. Until that time, the 'Russian family' in Montreal had not been considered as an 'orphan',
since there was already a Syro-Arab Orthodox parish there under the jurisdiction of the Vicar-Bishop of
Archbishop Tikhon, Bishop Raphael (Hawaweeny) of Brooklyn.

The news of the upcoming trip of Father Alexander to Montreal was greeted with joy. The Russian
settlers began to prepare for the service. In order to conduct chants for it, they studied the
hymns of Great Lent and the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great. In advance, Father Alexander sent
the necessary liturgical books for their music collection. The matter of the premises for worship
was finally decided upon the arrival of the priest.

Only 14 hours by train and 2 hours after crossing the border, Father Alexander stepped down from
the carriage to the platform, where he was met by the Russian Consul. Together with him, he rode
with great pleasure on a sled through the streets of Montreal, which on that day celebrated the
holiday of the Irish Saint Patrick with a parade and folk festivals. The next day, a Feast-day
took place on ‘our Russian street’. An evening service with the bringing out of the Holy Cross
in a wreath of fresh flowers was performed by him in the simple Syrian temple (located on
the top floor of a trading-house).

On this Sunday in March, on the Sunday of the Holy Cross during Great Lent, the first Divine Liturgy was served in the Slavonic Language by Father Hotovitzky in the Antiochian Temple of Saint Nicholas (still in improvised quarters), which had been established in Montréal a few years before by Bishop Raphael (Hawaweeny). After Saturday Vespers and on Sunday from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., confessions were heard from the Russian people. In the same place, Father Alexander served the Divine Liturgy on the antimins which he had brought with him.

Later, at 4:00 p.m., 25 people gathered in the same room of the Temple, and Father Alexander opened the meeting. As Father Alexander reported,

They talked about how to establish a parish : rallying the Russian people, building a temple
in the future, and inviting a priest. As always, zealous optimists who believed in themselves
and wanted to start a business, and pessimistic skeptics who did not trust their forces and
complained about a small number of Russian migrants from the 'Old Country' and their material
poverty, turned out to be at the meeting. In the process of communication, it turned out that,
indeed, it was premature to speak about the immediate establishment of the parish, and it was
necessary to move towards this in a natural way for America - the establishment of the Russian
Orthodox Brotherhood. The decision to organise such a fraternity was adopted unanimously.
All participants signed up as founding members. The meeting elected the consul as Honourary Trustee,
and also the members of the Board of the Brotherhood (chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer).
The brotherhood created by Archpriest Alexander, for the registration and activity of which he promised
to send charters, was headed by those who had assiduously contributed to his arrival in Montreal,
did not stop at this first step ; and, having strengthened quantity and quality, they became the
nucleus of the future Saints Peter and Paul Parish, which in 1916 built their first Temple. After
his visit, and after the submission of his report, the first resident priest (Teofan Buketov)
was sent to Montréal, and the parish of Saints Peter and Paul was established in 1907.

Saint Nicholas Cathedral, New York, about 1910

Conclusion of North American pastoral service, 1914

The Archpriest Alexander Hotovitzky continued to serve with whole-hearted devotion to the Lord, and to His service in the Orthodox Church in North America until 1914. At that time, he was informed by the Most Holy Synod that he would be transferred back to the territory of the Russian Empire, where he would continue his service.

The sacrificial and dedicated pastoral service of the Archpriest Alexander in North America was concluded on 26 February, 1914, exactly 18 years after his ordination to the Holy Priesthood. The years of Father Alexander’s missionary work had not been without many temptations and sorrows. In an address delivered at the Divine Liturgy on 26 February, 1914, Archbishop Platon (Rozhdestvensky) expressed gratitude for Father Alexander’s labours in North America. Bidding farewell to Father Alexander, the archbishop said :

 One morning, during the years we worked together, you came to my room and, without saying 
 much, unbuttoned your shirt, revealing a very large, bluish, bloody abrasion on your chest.  
 That wound from a fanatic, who in a fit of rage attacked you wildly with a stick, followed the 
 meeting of Russian people at which you had encouraged your own ethnic brother to renounce the
 pernicious Unia with Rome. [...] My entire being was shaken to the core and I was profoundly 
 moved, for before me at that moment was a genuine example of witness for Christ.

In his farewell address, Father Alexander said :

 Farewell, American Orthodox Rus – my dear Mother, the Holy American Church.  I, your 
 ever-grateful son, bow fully to the ground before you.  You gave birth to me spiritually ; you 
 nurtured me ; from your depths, you inspired me by your strength.  Through the shining witness 
 of your founders, through the enlightened apostolic teachings of your preachers, through the
 fervour of your faithful flock, you have given me the greatest possible joy – to be your son.

At Saint Tikhon's Monastery : Father Alexander, seated second from the left

Seated second from the right, Archbishop Platon (Rozhdestvensky). Standing, top left, Bishop Raphael (Hawaweeny)

Transfer to Finland, 1914

At the initiative of Archbishop Sergei (Stragorodsky) of Finland, Father Alexander Hotovitzky was transferred to Helsingfors (Helsinki), Finland. He was assigned to serve as the rector of the Uspensky Cathedral and of Holy Trinity Church.

At that time, the Grand Duchy of Finland was a part of the Russian Empire. The Orthodox Christian clergy there had to exert great efforts to protect the Orthodox Christian Karelians from the proselytic expansionism of the Finnish Lutherans (sometimes accompanied by violence). In those days, Finnish Lutherans, like most other Protestants (whose origin was in a protest against the Roman Catholic Church) doubted that Orthodox Christians were truly Christians. In Finland, the Archpriest Alexander was a loyal, active, and dedicated assistant to his archpastor, Archbishop Sergei (Stragorodsky), whose diocese included Helsinki and Vyborg, which were both within the Finnish Grand Duchy.

Archpriest Alexander Hotovitzky, Matushka Maria (right), and sisters (left)

Because of the respect and affection that was felt for him, the crypt chapel of the Uspensky Cathedral in Helsinki was later named after Saint Alexander Hotovitzky.

Uspensky Cathedral, Helsinki (Helsingfors)

Transfer to Moscow, 1917

In August, 1917, the Archpriest Alexander Hotovitzky was transferred to Moscow, where he was assigned to serve as the assistant pastor of Christ the Saviour Cathedral. Here, he was again under the direct guidance of Metropolitan Tikhon (Belavin), with whom he had already been closely associated in North America. This close association continued in Moscow, where Father Alexander had responsibility in the administration of the Moscow Diocese.

All-Russian Church Council (1917-1918)

The Archpriest Alexander participated in the deliberations of the All-Russian Church Council of 1917-1918. When the council discussed the drafting of a message to the Orthodox Christian flock concerning elections to the State Council, he stated that, since the future of Russia was at stake, the Church, and the Church Council in particular, should not shy away from the struggle to save the nation. Speaking about the efforts of the council to strengthen the Church, he outlined his preliminary plans for order and healing in the internal life of the Church, and he stated with some bitterness :

 It seems as if there were builders who were furiously preparing blueprints, plans and so forth 
 for the construction of an edifice, and at the same time they were calmly observing the 
 destruction brick by brick of this edifice by enemies.

All-Russian Sobor session

On 4 November, 1917, Father Alexander proposed that the Council immediately hold the election for the patriarch. On his initiative, the Council decided to express to the family of the murdered Archpriest John Kochurov (his colleague in North America) condolences on behalf of the Assembly (Sobor), to petition for their support and to proclaim this tragedy throughout Orthodox Russia.

Archpriest Alexander Hotovitzky, 1917

Revolution, 1917 ; civil war, 1917-1922

After the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917, Father Alexander was subjected to many cruelties by the revolutionaries as he defended the Orthodox Christian Faith, his people, and church property. During the difficult years of the Civil War (1917-1922), Father Alexander collaborated closely with Patriarch Tikhon in the administration of the Moscow diocese.

With the loss of state funding, the Russian Orthodox Church and the cathedral had to look to other sources of funds. Father Alexander, with Father Nicholas Arseniev, the rector of Christ the Saviour Cathedral, aided in the formation of a brotherhood. The purpose of this brotherhood was to undertake the task of fundraising not only for the maintenance of the Temple and its staff, but also for meeting the practical needs of the people round about who were now in dire need of food and other supplies.

In 1918, under the spiritual leadership of the rector, Father Nicholas Arseniev, and the assistant pastor, Father Alexander, this brotherhood affiliated with Christ the Saviour Cathedra was formally established. As its first activity, the brotherhood issued an appeal to the Orthodox flock to defend and preserve the cathedral, and to aid the starving. Father Alexander helped to write this appeal. The document stated :

 People of Russia !  Christ the Saviour Cathedral, the adornment of Moscow, the pride of Russia, 
 the joy of the Orthodox Church has been condemned to slow destruction.  This glorious monument 
 to the great exploits of Russian warriors, who gave their lives for their native land and the 
 Holy Orthodox Faith, has been denied state support. [...] People of Russia !  Will you really
 surrender this wonderful church of the Saviour to mockery ?  Is it really true, as is claimed 
 by the persecutors of the Holy Church, that the people of Russia no longer need holy things – 
 churches, sacraments, services, because all this is outdated and superstitious ?  Respond, you 
 faithful !  All of you, respond as one !  Rise up and protect your holy things !  May the 
 generous and well-intentioned donations of the rich be added to the precious pennies of the
 faithful poor.  Moscow, you are the heart of Russia!  Preserve your holy shrine – your 
 golden-domed Church of the Saviour !

In response to this appeal, the Orthodox inhabitants of Moscow joined the brotherhood of Christ the Saviour Cathedral, and gave their offerings to support the majestic Temple, and their alms.

Persecution of the Church, her clergy, her Faithful

Pastoral service for all clergy at that time was accompanied by much grief and danger. Father Alexander’s activities defending the Church naturally brought upon him the enmity of the Bolsheviks.

In May, 1920, and in November, 1921, Father Alexander was arrested for brief periods of time. He was accused of violating the decrees concerning the separation of the Church from the state, and the school from the Church, by operating a Church school for the children.

In 1922, the Church was subjected to harsh tribulations when, under the pretext of helping the starving, ecclesiastical treasures including sacred vessels, icons, and other holy things were violently confiscated by the state. Heeding the appeal of her holy primate, the Orthodox Church made generous donations to assist the starving. However, when Patriarch Tikhon issued a statement based on canon law to his flock throughout Russia forbidding the co-operation of the clergy in surrendering sacred vessels for non-ecclesiastical use, a slanderous campaign against the Church was begun in the press. Father Alexander was in the forefront of those who implemented the patriarch’s instructions. The patriarch was arrested, and a wave of court cases took place throughout Russia, in which servants of the Lord’s Altar were accused of counter-revolutionary activity. During these trials, many faithful servants of the Church of Christ were sentenced to death, and they shed their blood as hieromartyrs and martyrs.

During this difficult time for the Church, Father Alexander was unwaveringly guided by the statements of the Holy Patriarch Tikhon to his flock and he followed his directives. Funds to assist the starving were collected at Christ the Saviour Cathedral. At the same time, measures were undertaken to protect the sacred objects of this Temple. Meetings of the clergy and parishioners of Christ the Saviour Cathedral were held at Father Alexander’s apartment in order to draft a resolution of the general parish meeting concerning the state decree.

A draft of the resolution, prepared by Father Alexander, protested against the violent confiscation of ecclesiastical valuables. A general meeting of parishioners was convened on 23 March, 1922, at Christ the Saviour Cathedral, which was presided over by the Archpriest Nicholas Arseniev. Father Alexander had already been arrested. This meeting adopted the final text of the resolution, which demanded guarantees from the state that all donations be used to save the lives of the starving. The participants in the meeting protested the poisonous publications against the Church, as well as insults against the hierarchy. The drafting of this document was deemed by the authorities to be criminal counter-revolutionary activity.

Arrest ; trial ; short exile, 1922

After 2 court cases against the Church (in Petrograd and in Moscow), which resulted in the executions of hieromartyrs and martyrs, a new highly-visible trial of clergy and laity began in Moscow on 27 November, 1922, during which they were accused of supposedly

 attempting to retain in their hands possession of church valuables and, through the resulting 
 starvation, to topple the Soviet regime.

On trial in this case were 105 clergy and laity. Amongst the main defendants were the Archpriest Sergius Uspensky (dean of the second district of 40 churches in Prechistenka), the Archpriest Nicholas Arseniev (dean of Christ the Saviour Cathedral), the Archpriest Alexander Hotovitzky (assistant pastor of this Cathedral), the Priest Ilya Gromoglasov (priest of Christ the Saviour Cathedral), Lev Evgenievich Anohin (warden of this cathedral), and the Archpriest Simeon Golubev (rector of Saint John the Warrior Church).

The most significant part of the indictment submitted to the court concerned the activity of the clergy and laity of Christ the Saviour Cathedral. The indictment stated :

 The main organisers and leaders of this criminal activity were Priest Hotovitzky, chairman of 
 the council of parishes in this area, Priest Arseniev, rector of the Cathedral, Priest 
 Zotikov, Priest Gromoglasov, former lawyer Kayutov, former deputy minister Shchepkin, the 
 merchant Golovkin, and engineer Anohin.  When the decree of the Supreme Central Executive
 Committee concerning the confiscation of church valuables was issued, they began their 
 preliminary activities under the leadership of the priest Hotovitzky, who repeatedly secretly 
 gathered the above named people at his apartment in order to plan with them the measures which 
 they proposed to enact to achieve their criminal intentions.

The case was in court for 2 weeks. After the detailed indictment was read, the questioning of the defendants began. Father Alexander remained cool and calm during the questioning as he tried to protect the other defendants. He did not admit any guilt, and he stated :

 I consider that it is not counter-revolutionary to ask for a corresponding amount of metal in 
 return for church valuables.

Following the interrogation of all the defendants and witnesses, at the Court session on December 6, the later infamous, sinister prosecutor Andrey Vishinsky delivered the concluding statement for the prosecution. He asked the court for a sentence of capital punishment for 13 defendants including the Archpriests Alexander Hotovitzky, Nicholas Arseniev, Sergius Uspensky, Priest Ilya Gromoglasov, the Abbess Vera (Pobedinskaya) of the Novodevichy Women’s Monastery, and L E Anohin. Prosecutor A Vishinsky requested that the other defendants be sentenced to prison terms of varying length.

On 11 December, the defendants were given an opportunity to say a final word to the court. In his comments, Father Alexander attempted, first of all, to obtain the court’s leniency and mercy for his brother clergy :

 I direct your attention to those who were at the meeting in my apartment : some of them are 
 old and the others are very young and guilty of nothing.  This was a completely ordinary 
 meeting, it was not counter-revolutionary, and it cannot by any means be characterised as a 
 shady plot.

The lengthiest final comments were delivered by the professor and Priest Ilya Gromoglasov. This defendant attempted to gain the favour of the court by expounding on his former opposition to the Holy Synod. Concerning the conclusions of the prosecution, he said that he “knew nothing of the criminal organisation headed by Hotovitzky”.

On 13 December, the verdict of the revolutionary tribunal was announced. It was milder than the bloodthirsty verdicts delivered at previous trials held in Petrograd and Moscow in conjunction with the confiscation of ecclesiastical valuables. Each of the main defendants – Abbess Vera (Pobedinskaya), Archpriest Sergius Uspensky, and Archpriest Alexander Hotovitzky were sentenced to 10 years in prison, the confiscation of their personal property and the deprivation of their civil rights for 5 years. The others were sentenced to lesser terms of imprisonment. Appeals for pardon, made by those who were sentenced to the longest terms of imprisonment (including that of Archpriest Alexander) were rejected by the presidium of the Supreme Central Executive Committee on 16 February, 1923.

After the holy Patriarch Tikhon resumed his administration of the Church and after he had made several statements regarding loyalty to the governmental authorities, many hierarchs, clergy, church leaders and laity, who had previously received sentences from the judiciary in conjunction with the confiscation of ecclesiastical valuables, were granted amnesty. Father Alexander was amongst those freed in October, 1923. Following his liberation, he was not assigned to a parish, but rather, he served by invitation at various Temples in Moscow.

He remained free for only a short time. Soon, on 4 September, 1924, E Tuchkov, head of the 6th section of the Department of State Political Management, compiled a list of 13 clergy and Church leaders of Moscow, and he recommended that these be subjected to administrative exile. The Archpriest Alexander Hotovitzky (included in the list) was characterised as follows in this document :

 A priest and preacher with a post-graduate education, very active, zealous and influential 
 among the Tikhonites.  His outlook is anti-Soviet.

On 9 September, 1924, the Archpriest Alexander was subjected to an interrogation. At that time, he said :

 In my religious convictions, I consider myself to be a Tikhonite.  My relations with the 
 Patriarch are intimate rather than just strictly administrative, but lately, I have avoided 
 meeting with Patriarch Tikhon, as I felt that this might inconvenience him due to my 
 conviction in conjunction with the confiscation of Church valuables.  I have never expressed 
 an opinion concerning the restoration of the former government and such a thought has not even
 crossed my mind.

Exile to Siberia, 1924

By a decision of a special meeting of the administration of the Department of State Political Management, Father Alexander was exiled for a period of 3 years to the Turukhan region (a tributary to the Yenisei River) in Siberia, on whose tributaries are situated the cities of Krasnoyarsk and Irkutsk. His already failing health was further weakened by his sojourn in the far north. During the time of his exile, on 5 December, 1931, Christ the Saviour Cathedral in Moscow was destroyed by explosives on the order of Mr. J Stalin.

In 1928, following his return from exile, the Archpriest Alexander Hotovitzky was elevated to the dignity of protopresbyter.

Also upon his return, Protopresbyter Alexander Hotovitzky was assigned to serve as an assistant to the Deputy Locum-Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Sergius (Stragorodsky), who knew him well since the time of his service in Finland. Metropolitan Sergius would later on become the Patriarch of Moscow. At this time, Metropolitan Sergius was the assistant to the Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Peter (Polyansky) of Krutitsy (who was killed on 10 October, 1937). There was a virtual slaughter of a multitude of clergy, monastics and faithful Orthodox Christians in the Soviet Union, called “The Great Purge” of 1936-1938. The years 1837 and 1938 seem to have been the ones in which the killing was most intense, and in which many thousands perished.

In the 1930s, Protopresbyter Alexander served as rector of the Church of the Deposition of the Robe on Donskoy Street. One of the parishioners of this Temple recalled :

 In 1936, Father Alexander did not preach, as he was apparently forbidden to do so.  In 
 1936-1937, I was present many times when Father Alexander served.  He was a tall, grey-haired 
 priest with gentle facial features, who looked extremely intelligent.  Grey, trimmed hair, a 
 small beard, very kind grey eyes, a high-pitched, loud tenor [...] pronounced exclamations 
 distinctly and with inspiration. [...] His appearance reminded me of many priests who were exiles 
 from the western regions. [...] Father Alexander had many parishioners who greatly revered him. 
 [...] Even today, I remember Father Alexander’s eyes.  It seemed as if his glance penetrated 
 your heart and embraced it with affection.  I had the same feeling when I saw the holy
 Patriarch Tikhon. [...] The same light also shining in Father Alexander’s eyes was testimony of 
 his sanctity.

Repose, 1937

Then, in the summer of 1937, Father Alexander Hotovitzky was again arrested.

He was then sentenced to death, and he was shot on 19 August, 1937 (the Feast of the Transfiguration of Christ, Old Calendar).

It was later understood that he was interred in the Donskoy Monastery Cemetery.

The Orthodox Church in America, on whose territory the Protopresbyter Alexander served as a priest until 1914, venerates him as a passion-bearer, whose life as a confessor ended with sufferings for the sake of Christ.

Memorial Plaque at Saint Nicholas Cathedral, New York

Glorification, 1981, 1994

In 1981, the New Hieromartyr Alexander Hotovitzky was glorified first by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. He was amongst more than 800 other New-martyrs and Confessors who were included together on that occasion.

In 1994, there was a joint glorification of Saint Alexander by the Russian Orthodox Church and The Orthodox Church in America.

Feast-days

The dates of his commemoration are 19 August (repose) ; 4 December (glorification).

The Church of Russia also commemorates Saint Alexander on 7 August, along with the Archpriests Alexei Vorobiev, Michael Plishevsky, John Voronets, the Priests Demetrius Milovidov, and Peter Tokarev, the Deacon Elisha Sholder, and the Igumen Athanasius (Egorov).

Tropar (Tone 6)

In a time of fiery temptations for the Church of Russia,

you manifested the love of Christ to your flock through meekness and humility.

O Holy Hieromartyr, Father Alexander,

being a good pastor, you laid down your life for Him.

Intercede with Christ our God on our behalf,

that our souls may be illumined.

Kontak (Tone 2)

O Holy Hieromartyr, Father Alexander,

you bore labours and illness upon your shoulders.

You joyfully took the narrow path of suffering for Christ our God,

through which you entered the Heavenly Kingdom.

Beseech Christ the Saviour to give us mercy on the Day of Judgement.

Synaxis of the Saints of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Chicago Saint Alexander Hotovitzky

Reflections

According to his contemporaries, Father Alexander was an example of sacrificial service to God and to his neighbours :

 By nature, an aristocrat, extremely intelligent and educated, with a delicate sense of humour, 
 he is in his element in preaching ; in literature, he is an outstanding publicist and poet ; 
 for his flocks, he is an ideal shepherd ; for us, the priests, although young, but already 
 wise by experience, he is always a sympathetic and benevolent friend and adviser ; and for all 
 Russian people, he is an invariably hospitable host.  That is Father Khotovitsky.  When parting 
 with his spiritual flock and about to leave for Russia, he was told words of love and gratitude 
 by the American flock : 
 With the very pain that one can imagine that a person would experience in the separation from him 
 not only of body parts but also of soul, the whole of Russian Orthodox America is forever saying 
 goodbye to you. [...] 
 Will the Russian American Orthodox ever forget you, the most glorious of her pastors ? No ! Never ! 
 You will live forever in the history of Russian America, in the grateful hearts of faithful sons, 
 in your great labours in participating in the creation of the American Orthodox Church, which, 
 we believe, at the Last Judgement will intercede for you with the Righteous Judge : may He adorn 
 the glorious head of her beloved son with an imperishable crown.

Writings

• ‘Sanctification of Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church’ in “American Orthodox Messenger”, vol. 5, no. 22 (1902), pp. 460-467.

• ‘Bishop Tikhon's Journey to St. Louis ; Visiting the World Exposition ; Consecration of the Church in Madison’ in “American Orthodox Messenger”, vol. 8, no. 23 (1904), pp. 450-460.

• ‘From a Diary’ in “American Orthodox Herald”, vol. 12, no. 21(1908), pp. 405-412.

• ‘On the Jesus Prayer’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, nos. 7/8 (1994), pp. 71-78.

• ‘Documents, Letters, Articles and Poems of Saint Alexander (Khotovitsky)’, [ed. G M Soldatova] in “The missionary Period of the Orthodox Church in America, 1896-1909”, part 1 (Minneapolis, MN, 1998).

• ‘Trip to Canada’ in “American Orthodox Messenger” (1908).

Writings about Saint Alexander by various authors :

• “Acts of the Holy Council of the Russian Orthodox Church 1917–1918” (Documents, Materials, Acts I-XVI) (Moscow, 1994), ed. 1918, vol. 1, p. 92.

• Anokhova, A Y, ‘The Story of the Holy Martyr Protopresbyter Alexander Hotovitsky’ in “Dan. Blag.”, vol. 6 (1996), pp. 82-83.

• Golubtsov, Protodeacon S, “Moscow Clergy on the Eve of Persecution, 1917-1922” (Moscow, 1999), pp. 186-187.

• “Protopresbyter Alexander Khotovitsky (1872-1937)” (St. Petersburg : Publishing House Noah, 1995).

• Tsypin, Protopresbyter Vladislav, ‘Protopresbyter Alexander Khotovitsky’ in “Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate”, 1994, nos. 7/8 (1994), pp. 98-104.

• (Ziorov), Bishop Nicholas, “Speech delivered at the Ordination of Priest Alexander Hotovitsky”, San Francisco, 25 February, 1896

• Zotova, N N, ‘I don’t dare to remember the Bounty of the Divine’ in “Moscow Journal”, no. 8 (1999), pp. 41-45, 6. (in French) (in Russian) [biography]

References

Liberovsky, Alexis, ed., ‘The Life of Saint Alexander Hotovitzky, New Hieromartyr of Russia, Missionary to America’ in “Alive in Christ” (Fall 1995-2). [“Alive in Christ” is an online magazine of the Diocese of Eastern Pennsylvania (OCA).]

Prokurat, Michael ; Golitzin, Alexander & Petersen, Michael, eds., “The A to Z of the Orthodox Church” (Lanham, MD : Scarecrow Press, 2010), p. 162. ISBN : 978-0-8108-7602-6.

“The Russian Mission in North America”

Tarasar, Constance J, ed., “Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America” (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975), p. 42. ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.

OCA Biography by A Liberovsky

Wikipedia biography

Orthodoxwiki biography

Russian Wikipedia biography

Russian Wikipedia biography (in Russian)

Drevo Encyclopaedia biography

Orthodox Encyclopaedia biography

Biography by Bishop Job (Smakouz) of Father Alexander Hotovitzky

Pravoslavie.ru web-site biography

Video about the Orthodox Faith in Alaska

Saint Tikhon's Orthodox University in Moscow biography

Хотовицкий Александр Александрович (Saint Tikhon's Orthodox University in Moscow biography) (in Russian)

Church of the Deposition at Donskoy, Moscow, biography

Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox Monastery in South Canaan, Pennsylvania biography

Additional information :

Andreev, Ivan M, “A Brief Overview of the History of the Church of Russia from the Revolution to Our Days” (Jordanville, NY : Holy Trinity Monastery Press, 1952).

Gray, George A, Bear, Jan V, eds., “Portraits of American Saints” (Los Angeles : Diocese of the West, OCA , 1994).

Hopko, Protopresbyter Thomas, ‘Church History’ in “Volume III : The Orthodox Faith”.

Kishkovsky, Archpriest L, Stokoe, M, “Orthodox Christians in North America (1794-1994)” (New York : Orthodox Church in America, 1995), pp. 8-9. ISBN-10 : 0866420533. ISBN-13 : 978-0866420532.

Matusiak, Archpriest John, A History and Introduction of The Orthodox Church in America

Pospielovsky, Dimitry, “The Russian Church Under the Soviet Regime 1917-1982”, 2 vols. (Crestwood, NY : St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1984).

Regel'son, Lev, “Tragedy of the Russian Church : the Church under Soviet Power 1917-1953” (Germany : Sanktum, 2017). ISBN 10 : 9783330719194 ; ISBN 13 : 978-3330719194. ASIN : 3330719192. (Translated from Russian to English)

Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church, New York, New York

Saint Michael’s Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Holy Trinity Church in Yonkers, New York

Saint Basil’s Church in Watervliet, New York

Saints Peter and Paul’s Church in Passaic, New Jersey

Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Church, Montréal, Québec

Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox Monastery, South Canaan, Pennsylvania

Uspensky Cathedral, Helsinki, Finland

Christ the Saviour Cathedral, Moscow, Russia

Orthodoxwiki article about The Orthodox Church in America

Orthodoxwiki article about the Russian Orthodox Church

Saint Tikhon (Belavin)