Question of geneaology: Great Great Grandfather

[Yvonne Sebring]

My GG-Grandfather was Ariton Krasuin, I am sure this is the Americanized spelling of his name, he came to Mount Athos in the early 1920's from Saskatchewan Canada, to become a Monk. He was born I believe in Mardzinia, Roumania. I do not know what monestary he was in, but I do have a photo of him and apparently he is buried there, does anyone know how I can obtain or search for more information about him? Or at least a clue as to where to start looking?

Thank-you, Yvonne Sebring

[Fr Seraphim (Black)]

Dear Yvonne,

I would be more than willing to help you.

As a Romanian, he most likely went to their largest establishment, Skiti Prodromos, which is on the land belonging to Megisti Lavra.

However, there are many Romanian kelli on Mount Athos (presuming he did not know Russian, or Moldovan) the kelli are so numerous that the best is to start asking at Skiti Prodromos.

I have a good friend there, who is the Cook, and his name is Christopher. He never told me from what town or area he came from, but in conversation I got the general idea he was from some where close to Alba Iulia.

The Staretz is Parinte Petronius (quite aged now.) He is fluent in French also and comes from Bistrita Monastery. A very good monk and gentle soul.

Another possibility is Parinte Ioan at a Kelli which is a dependency of the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi. Parinte Ioan is from Cluj-Napoca and was a disciple of the recently reposed blessed Staretz Daniel.

There are many possibilities. Someone will know someone who knew him, of this you can be certain.

Write to Parinte Petronius at:

Kelli Prodromos, Agion Oros, Grecia, 630 87.

Write in Romanian, unless you are fluent in Greek, because the Greek Monastery, Megisti Lavra, may have the archives.

It is a start. DOAMNE AJUTA.

The other large series of Kelli is under Parinte Stephanos from St. Antim Monastery in Bucharest, this property is between Karakallou Monastery and Megisti Lavra, so to whom it belongs I can not say. Probably, Megisti Lavra.

[Irene]

Dear anyone who reads this, Msg me privately if you think it's best.

1: Does anyone know the most likely nationality for the surname Zenovich? I've been trying to find out and it seems to keep coming up as Slavic particularly Russian.

2: Is there somewhere online I can read about William the Conquerer from an Orthodox point of view?

Thank you very much for reading this.

In Christ
irene

[Yvonne Sebring]

Dear Fr Seraphim Black,

I thank you so much for the information you have given me, Unfortunatly, I do not write or speak any other language than English. My GG-Grandfather was a member of St. Mary's Church in Kayville, Saskatchewan, Canada which is just outside of Regina. I am wondering if they might have information on him? Although I do not know if the church is even being used know. It was built in 1915, I have pictures of it as well. I visited it a couple years ago when I started my research of the family.

Thank you again, Yvonne Sebring

[Olga]

Dear Yvonne

I would suggest you write a letter to the monastery Fr Seraphim mentioned, even if it is in English. Even if the abbot doesn't speak English himself, I'm sure there would be at least one monk there who does, and should be able to translate it. Also write the address as Fr Seraphim gave it, the letter should get through. The Greek postal service is capable of handling mail addressed using the Latin alphabet if the use of Greek is not possible.

[Sunny]

In researching my grandmother's family from Quebec I found two puzzling first names. My great grandmother's first name was Appoline (Brideau). In trying to find her father I came upon a Telesphore Brideau. These names appear to be the French form of Greek names. Would anyone know if these names are Greek? Why would a French family have Greek names unless they were of Greek descent? I am a convert to Orthodoxy (baptized in a Greek Orthodox Church) and as far as I knew my family was French Canadian and British. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Sunny:)

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

In researching my grandmother's family from Quebec I found two puzzling first names. My great grandmother's first name was Appoline (Brideau). In trying to find her father I came upon a Telesphore Brideau. These names appear to be the French form of Greek names. Would anyone know if these names are Greek? Why would a French family have Greek names unless they were of Greek descent? I am a convert to Orthodoxy (baptized in a Greek Orthodox Church) and as far as I knew my family was French Canadian and British. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Sunny:)

I grew up in Montreal, Quebec during the 1950s & 60s and lived there off on and on until the 1980s. Quebec until the the mid-60s was a very openly Catholic world. I remember very clearly as a boy seeing walking on the street the priests and nuns in their 'outfits'. I also recall the smell of cooking fish on Fridays coming from our French Canadian neighbours who lived downstairs from us. This lasted until the sudden secularisation of Quebec in the mid-60s that is now called 'The Quiet Revolution.'

The names you mention were very popular in that world because like us Orthodox all of the people bore in some way the name of a saint, although a little differently from our practice. I'm not sure if the French in France ever did this but many of the French Canadians had double names like Jean-Marie which was a popular man's name or Marie-Josee which is still very popular with women in Quebec; a male would have the name of a male saint followed by a female while a female would be the other way around. Many of these names such as Telesphore which were popular enough were indeed as you suggest of Greek origin.

The same popularity with having saints names for people appliesd also to the name places in Quebec. There must be thousands of cities, towns and villages named after a saint. (Montreal was originally Ville Ste Marie or City of Holy Mary). Open up a decent book of maps or even road atlas and look west and south of Montreal- there is the town of St Telesphore, just a bit west of the town St Polycarpe, north of St Zotique and south of St Justine, Ste Marthe, St Lazare and St Clet.

It was quite a world to grow up in!

In Christ- Fr Raphael