A Monument to Orthodox Miners

During the week I preached a Lenten Mission in the Gold-country town of Jackson, CA, I was blessed to have a tour of the beautiful little St. Sava Church that has served the Serbian Orthodox community of that are since 1894. Many of the Catholic Churches in the region bear the name of St. Patrick, betraying the Irish heritage of many of the miners who found a home in the region during the Gold Rush.  Likewise many of the small towns around the region have Orthodox Churches revealing that many of those who worked the mines came to California from Eastern Europe.  

I am very grateful to Fr. Marko Bojovich for taking the time to share this incredible treasure with me.

St. Sava Church in Jackson (named for the 12th C. founding Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church) was founded by a a San Francisco born Orthodox Monk name Sebastian Dabovich, who became the first orthodox missionary in North America and was responsible for founding many of the Churches in California.  Fr. Sebastian has been canonized by the Serbian Orthodox church and is remembered among the faithful as "St. Sebastian of Jackson."  His relics are present for veneration in the Church's sanctuary and are a source of great pride for Jackson's Serbian community.

Fr. Marko shared this Holy Card of the Church's Founder. He is depicted in the Icon holding an image of St. Sava in Jackson.

Set in a small valley not far from the Kennedy Mine and surrounded by the graves of a century of Orthodox faithful, the white church with its central bell tower stands out in the landscape.  Externally it resembles any number of simple country churches of many Christian denominations one might encounter all over the United States, but the interior of the Church could never be mistaken for anything other than an Orthodox Church. Every inch of the interior is covered with rich iconography.  The icons were completed over a 13 year period by Serbian iconographer, Miloje Milinkovich in celebration of the church's centenary.  They were dedicated in 2009.