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# St. Basil’s Orthodox Church Celebrates 125th Anniversary and Consecration
- URL: https://uoj.news/news/st-basils-orthodox-church-celebrates-125th-anniversary-and-consecration/
- Published: 2026-10-24T12:59:32.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T12:59:32.000Z
- Description: St. Basil’s Orthodox Church in Watervliet marked its 125th anniversary with a church consecration, the visitation of the Hawaiian Iveron Icon, and the presentation of holy relics.
- Author: Tobias Straney
- Tags: #Category: News, OCA, Hawaiian Iveron Icon, Archpastoral Visit, Parish Anniversary

**WATERVLIET, NY —** St. Basil’s Orthodox Church celebrated its 125th anniversary on October 17–18, 2026, with the [consecration](https://www.nynjoca.org/news%5F261023%5F1.html) of its church and a visit from the Hawaiian Iveron Myrrh-Streaming Icon of the Theotokos. Abp. Michael of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) presided over the festivities, which drew more than 300 worshippers for services honoring the parish’s history and spiritual life.

The consecration included the placement of relics of several martyrs in the altar, including Hieromartyr Hilarion Troitsky, New Hieromartyr Maxim Sandovich, and two unidentified martyrs. A relic of Hieromartyr Basil Martyz, who served as the parish priest in 1910 before returning to Poland, was sewn into a new antimension. Another relic of St. Basil Martyz was placed in a new icon of the saint for veneration.

[![](https://uoj.news/content/images/2026/10/100.JPEG)On this topicMore than 300 Gather in New York for Visit of Iveron Icon](https://uoj.news/news/more-than-300-gather-in-new-york-for-visit-of-iveron-icon/)

The parish’s history dates to November 21, 1901, when St. Alexander Hotovitsky blessed the cornerstone of its original wooden church. St. Alexander and St. Tikhon, later Patriarch of Moscow, blessed the building in December 1902\. The cornerstone of the current church was blessed in 1941, and the building was dedicated in September 1945.

Abp. Michael was joined by the parish rector, Archpriest Peter Olsen; Dean Archpriest Alexey Karlgut; Archpriests Matthew Markewich and Jason Vansuch; Fr. Paul Fedoroff; and Dcns. Mark Bohush and Jason Gagnon. The choir, assembled by St. Vladimir’s Seminary seminarian Dimitrios Rentel, included seminarians and their families.

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Photos: nynjoca.org

The Hawaiian Iveron Icon was venerated throughout the weekend. Following Great Vespers on Saturday, an akathist was chanted before the icon, and more than 300 people were anointed with its myrrh. Sunday’s celebration began with the church consecration and continued with a hierarchical Divine Liturgy, followed by another opportunity for the faithful to receive the anointing.

Abp. Michael presented the parish with a Synodal Gramota commemorating the anniversary and gifted it a relic of St. Basil the Great. He encouraged parishioners to sustain the community through their time, resources, and talents, remaining faithful to Orthodox Christian life as the parish enters its next 125 years.

Previously, the [UOJ reported](https://uoj.news/news/icons-and-relic-of-st-gabriel-of-georgia-to-visit-four-canadian-cities/) that icons and a relic of St. Gabriel of Georgia would visit four Canadian cities.