Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick Publishes Guide to 'the Other American Saints'

AUGUST 16, 2025 — Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick, best known as the cohost of the Lord of Spirits podcast, has released a groundbreaking guide highlighting the presence of major relics of Orthodox saints in the United States, many of which are housed in Roman Catholic churches. 

Titled The Other American Orthodox Saints, the guide is published in partnership with the Orthodox Studies Institute. It reveals that beyond the seven well-known Orthodox shrines—housing relics of saints like Alexis Toth in Pennsylvania and John Maximovitch in California—at least 20 other saints’ major relics, such as full skeletons or significant body parts, are located in states including Ohio, Kentucky, and Washington, DC.

In Louisville, Kentucky, the Shrine of St. Martin of Tours enshrines Ss. Magnus and Bonosa, third-century martyrs. Cleveland, Ohio, hosts the relics of child-martyr Christine and Ss. Maximina and Hyacinth. The Maria Stein Relic Shrine in Ohio preserves Ss. Victoria and Concordia, while Washington, DC’s Franciscan Monastery holds Ss. Benignus and Innocent. 

Fr. Damick’s research, sparked by a conversation with monks from Holy Cross Monastery, encourages Orthodox Christians to visit these sites for prayer and veneration, fostering a deeper connection to these often-overlooked saints.

The guide may be accessed on the Orthodox History web portal.

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