As far back as the beginning of the last century after the October Revolution of 1917 refugees from Russia including the surviving White Guards, the most devoted to the Russian Tsar Cossacks, the personal escort of His Imperial Majesty, the intelligentsia who did not accept the Bolsheviks, the cadets and their families came to the territory of the United States. Having lost their Mother land they tried to unite and create a small community of their own. A piece of land was purchased with the money they collected and a small church was built in what at the time was an outskirts of Los Angeles so that the Russian people could pray for their country, the Tsar, and all fellow-countrymen caught in the horrors of the Bolshevik revolution. True believers in God mourning their long-suffering Mother land, this small Russian community made every effort to maintain their religion, language, and national traditions and culture.

Operating till this day the Holly Virgin Mary Cathedral “Rescuer of the Perishing”, this is a name of that same church today, belongs to the American Metropolia and is now located near the business center of Los Angeles. The services are held in two languages, English and Church Slavonic. Besides the fact that the main part of the parish consists of Americans, Slavonic services remain compulsory both for the descendents of the church founders and for all Russians who want to join the Orthodox Christian faith.

Keeping the traditions initiated almost 100 years ago, Russian-American Orthodox Christian community holds secular celebrations, such as festivals and bazaars in addition to church holidays.

An important occasion in the life of the community was an opening of a Russian school during the years following the Second World War. Historically formed tradition of the Orthodox church to unselfishly with Christian love transmit the knowledge to new generations and to help the parents in raising, up-bringing and educating their children has now been maintained and supported by the clergy and the school teachers for several decades.

The goals of the school is the maintenance of the Russian culture and teaching Russian not only to the children of Russian Orthodox immigrants, but everyone who wants to get better acquainted with Russia. Children start attending the school when they are 5 – 6 years old and continue through their graduation from American high school. During the admission process the preference is given to the children baptized in the Orthodox Christian Church. The school curriculum contains teaching of the Russian language, literature, basics of Orthodox Christianity, music, history of the Orthodox Church, Russia and the Cossacks. In elementary grades speech development classes incorporate elements of art. Five lessons, 45 minutes each, are held on Saturdays, and because children attend the school only once a week, they are expected to complete daily 30-45 minute homework assignments during the week.

One important part of the school curriculum is the cultural aspect that allows children’s self- realization in music, dance and theatre. Twice a year children participate in school concerts and several times a year they perform in the parish and other institutions that are part of the American Metropolia. Following traditions of celebrating Easter, Christmas and even Maslenitsa with fresh pancakes, a pleiad of wonderful priests and teachers have recreated inside the school walls a truly Russian Orthodox Christian spirit.

All subjects and celebrations are conducted in Russian. For a few years now, however, the school has been teaching children of American parents. For the first two years these children are taught in English, after which they move to a regular class where all the subjects are taught only in Russian. In addition, our school has experience working with children adopted from orphanages in Russia and former Soviet Union.

Carefully maintaining the spirit of Orthodoxy and Russian culture in this small corner of Great Los Angeles, our school and parish are in constant need of support and resources. Dear sponsors and individuals willing to share their knowledge and experience in teaching, curriculum development and psychology, our doors are always open for your support and participation.