Editing Royalton, Illinois (section)

==Protection of the Holy Virgin Mary Orthodox Church {{anchor|Notable church}}==
The [[Protection of the Holy Virgin Mary Orthodox Church]] in Royalton is the only remaining [[Russian Orthodox]] church in southern Illinois.<ref>[http://www.royaltonillinois.com/churches.html "Royalton Churches"]</ref><ref name="shadows">{{Cite web |url=http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-6145-shadows-of-the-motherland.html |title="Shadows of the Motherland" |access-date=August 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226191543/http://www.illinoistimes.com/Springfield/article-6145-shadows-of-the-motherland.html |archive-date=February 26, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1041&context=ua_docs |author= Terry Alliband |publisher=Southern Illinois University Carbondale |date= 1980 |title= Expressions: Folkways in Southern Illinois |page= 11}}</ref>  The church was founded by eastern European immigrants, including [[Rusyns]],<ref>{{cite book |author1=Paul Robert Magocsi |title=Our People: Carpatho-Rusyns and Their Descendants in North America |date=July 30, 2005 |publisher=Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers |isbn=978-0865166110 |page=18}}</ref><ref name="shadows"/><ref name="smith">>{{cite thesis |last=Smith |first=David |date=July 1978 |title=The Russians of Buckner  |degree=Master of Arts |publisher=Southern Illinois University |oclc=8044617}}</ref><ref name="long">{{cite news |last1=Allen |first1=John |title=The Longest Way Around |publisher=Alton Evening Telegraph |date=Jul 30, 1964 |page=8}}</ref> many of whom worked in local coal mines <ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Southern Illinoisan |title= Russian Orthodox Easter is Today |date= April 25, 1976 |author= Mary Pat Flaherty |page= 4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper= Southern Illinoisan |title= Christmas on December 25th? |date= December 22, 1974 |author= Barb Leebens |page=2}}</ref>  The three principal founders were Frank Derbak, John August and Paul Andrews.  The church opened to parishioners in late 1914.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.phvm.org/parish-history.html |title= Parish History }}</ref>  It was built to mimic the construction of [[St. Ioasaph Orthodox Church|St. Ioasaph's]] in [[Muddy, Illinois|Muddy]].<ref>{{cite news |author1=Frances Van Cleve |title=Russian Orthodox Church Unique In Area |publisher=Southern Illinoisan |date=August 7, 1959 |pages=5}}</ref>

Many of the miners who were killed in the [[Royalton North No. 1 Mine Explosion|1914 mine disaster]] were members of the church.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://thesouthern.com/lifestyles/faith-and-values/religion/royalton-church-observes-101-years-since-fatal-mine-disaster/article_493e5fa4-459a-52da-b908-6936478cc06a.html | newspaper= Southern Illinoisan |title=Royalton Church Observes 101 Years Since Fatal Mine Disaster}}</ref>  There is a memorial at the church, and many of the miners were buried in a cemetery dedicated to the disaster.
[[File:Memorial to the former Dowell Russian Orthodox Church.JPG|thumb|Memorial to the former [[Dowell, Illinois|Dowell]] Russian Orthodox Church, located at the Holy Protection Russian Orthodox church in Royalton]] At one time, there was a Russian Orthodox church in nearby [[Dowell, Illinois|Dowell]], but it has closed. A memorial to the Dowell church is located in Royalton.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title= The Small Neighbor |newspaper= Southern Illinoisan |date= January 11, 1990 }}</ref>