Museum

Exhibits in our Antiochian Heritage Museum celebrate the artistic, cultural and spiritual heritage of the ancient city of Antioch and its surrounding Eastern Mediterranean region. The permanent collection includes:

- Early Christian icons of Greek, Russian and Syrian origin
- Colorful hand-embroidered dresses from the Holy Land
- Richly inlaid wood furniture of Damascus
- Antique engravings and lithographs
- Interactive exhibit about the life of St. Raphael, Bishop of Brooklyn
- And much more!

Current Exhibits

• East Meets West in Ligonier. With the history of the Antiochian Village property as its base, and the lives of several historic figures as a framework, this exhibit reveals connections that span the centuries – across oceans, continents, cultures and faiths – as it weaves together the stories of two communities who have worshipped on the land that is now Antiochian Village, and called it home.
• Saint Raphael: Scholar & Shepherd. Historical artifacts and an interactive touchscreen exhibit present the story of St. Raphael’s life and ministry, as well as highlights from the theological thesis he wrote as a young seminarian. The full text of his thesis, translated into English from its original handwritten Greek, is on display in our library.
• Titanic Connections: Unique and Untold Stories. Originally created to mark the 100^th anniversary of the 1912 sinking of the Titanic, the exhibit is now in our lower museum lobby and features fascinating passenger stories with connections to the Antiochian heritage and to western Pennsylvania.

Saint Raphael, Bishop of Brooklyn
A beloved early pioneer of Orthodox Christianity in the United States, Saint Raphael was born in 1860 and raised in Damascus in a devout Orthodox Christian family. He received his seminary education on the island of Halki in Turkey in preparation for becoming a priest and bishop. In 1895, he arrived in New York to pastor its Arabic-speaking Christian community and was elevated to bishop in 1904 - the first Orthodox bishop to be consecrated on North American soil. He traveled the continent, tirelessly serving Orthodox communities and establishing churches throughout America until his death in 1915. Originally buried in Brooklyn, New York, St. Raphael’s remains were brought to the Holy Resurrection Cemetery on the grounds of the Antiochian Village Camp in 1989. He was recognized as a saint in the year 2000. A permanent exhibit honoring Saint Raphael includes liturgical items and an interactive touchscreen exhibit.

Past Exhibits

• Voyages East: Antique Prints of Syria and the Holy Land. Scenes of Syria and the Holy Land, as seen through the eyes of 19^th century European artists.
• Eternal Spring: The Art of Leila Chokheli. Celebrating the joyous spirit and faith of the artist, who lived under Communist rule in her native Georgia.
• Sacred Illuminations by Tatiana Nikolova-Houston. Contemporary works of art, inspired by antique manuscripts and the artist’s Bulgarian heritage.
• Women with Icons: Photographs by Jocelyn Mathewes. Portraits of Orthodox Christian women, honoring the beauty and meaning of iconography.
• Splendor of Damascus: Textiles and Artifacts of Traditional Syria. Hand-embroidered garments on loan from the collection of Farah and Hanan Munayyer.
• Spirit & Whimsy: The Art of Niko Chocheli. Colorful original paintings and children’s book illustrations.
• Structure & Symbolism in Stone: The Architecture of Ancient Christian Syria. Photographs from Princeton University’s 1899-1905 archaeological expeditions to Syria.
• The Art of Kahlil Gibran. Original drawings on loan from the Telfair Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia.