Hi,

This document has been in family for decades, and its origins and content are a mystery.  Additionally, my Russian is rough at best!  Would anyone be able to translate and/or identify what this document is?

Thanks in advance!
Amy Mitchell

In Russian:

 

Божею Милостью

Смиренный Платон, Архиепископ Алеутский и Североамериканский.

Сим выражаем нашу Архипастырьскую признательность с призыванием Божьего Благословения прихожанину Десложской церкви Михаилу Таращак, за его усердные труды на пользу Православной церкви Северной Америки.

#638

13 марта 1909 года. 

 

Translated into English:

 

Divine Grace

Humble Plato, Archbishop of Aleutian and North American.

We hereby express our Archpastoral gratitude with the invocation of God's Blessing to the parishioner of the Deslog Church, Mikhail Tarashchak, for his hard work for the benefit of the Orthodox Church of North America.

 

# 638

March 13, 1909.

 

Translated by Michael Ryabinky

Boynton Beach, FL

Michael,
I was confused by the handwriting and some of the words in the document, but after you translated, it made more sense.

Apparently, it's not Plato, but Platon (Rozhdestvensky) - name of the Christian Orthodox archbishop of Aleutian and North American Diocese from 1907 to 1914.  Eventually, he held the title of the Metropolitan Bishop of Canada and US - the highest ranked official of the Russian Orthodox church in the region.  https://orthodoxwiki.org/Platon_(Rozhdestvensky)_of_New_York
Interesting letter, but likely off-topic for this group.

Mike Vayser