On Saturday, July 19, Matthew Namee presented “Saint Tikhon in America” as a part of the Russian History Museum’s Second Saturday online lecture series.

St. Tikhon, born Vasily Bellavin, was a visionary bishop who built Orthodox parishes and promoted English-language church services in the USA.

In his lecture, Matthew Namee explores St. Tikhon’s legacy and personal trials.

About the Speaker

Matthew Namee is a lawyer and historian who has run Orthodox Studies Institute since 2009. He's given numerous talks on church history over the years at most of the major Orthodox institutions and venues in the United States. He authored the book Lost Histories: The Good, the Bad, and the Strange in Early American Orthodoxy (Ancient Faith Publishing, 2024). In his day job, Matthew is an attorney working exclusively on Orthodox Church matters for a nonprofit ministry. He lives in Washington state with his wife Catherine and their seven children.