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Russian Orthodox Greek-Catholic Church of America at the 1964/1965 New York World’s Fair

World's Fair Information Manual

EXHIBIT

  • The Russian Orthodox Exhibit

AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE

  • Mr. John Hennessy
  • Russian Orthodox Greek-Catholic Church of America, Inc.
  • 2040 Anza Street
  • San Francisco 18, California
  • 415 YU 2-2689

FAIR CONTACT

  • Mr. William Ottley

CONTRACT SIGNED

  • September 19, 1963

LOCATION

  • Block 7; Lot 6
  • Industrial Area

AREA

  • 15,591 sq. ft.

ARCHITECT

  • Vogel and Strunk
  • 101 Park Avenue
  • New York, New York
  • MU 5-0285

CONTRACTOR

  • Robert Glenn, Inc.

ADMISSION

  • Free
Russian Orthodox Church Exhibit line drawing

SOURCE: 1964 World's Fair Information Manual

FEATURES

The Russian Orthodox Church Exhibit is a replica of the Fort Ross, California Chapel, which was the first Russian Orthodox Church in the United States and the original of which is now a California Historical monument.

Within this building is the "Holy Ikon of the Virgin of Kazan" described by church authorities as follows: "A revered portrait, painted in Kazan, Russia about 1400 A.D., 11 inches by 13 inches in size; decorated with 1,009 gems valued at $500,000, including six emeralds from King Solomon's Mines; enshrined in 1630 at Kazan Cathedral in Moscow, which was specially built to receive it. Except for occasional removals from the Cathedral--once it was taken to the battle lines to inspire the Czarist troops in the defeat of Napoleon at Moscow--the Ikon remained in the Royal Ikonostas until 1917 when, after the Bolshevik Revolution, it came into private hands."

In addition, there is displayed outdoors a cross-section of a giant California redwood log showing the history of the world and the history of the Holy Ikon worked on its rings.

Another small structure displays and offers for sale religious objects and publications of the Russian Orthodox Church.


Russian Orthodox Church Exhibit

Russian Orthodox Church Exhibit

Source: NY World's Fair Publication For Those Who Produced the New York World's Fair 1964-1965