Shrine of St. Therese, Juneau Shrine of St. Therese, Juneau Shrine of St. Therese of Lisieux overlooks the Lynn Canal in Juneau, Alaska, US. Situated on 46 acres, the site contains a stone chapel, crypt, labyrinth, columbarium, lodge, cabin, and retreat. In 1925, St. Therese was named the patroness of Alaska. In the 1930s, the Jesuit priest, Father William LeVasseur came up with the idea of a retreat center in her name. Bishop Joseph Raphael John Crimont provided support for its establishment. Thousands of stones were used to construct the chapel and other structures, which were gathered by volunteers. The first mass was held in
Juneau, Alaska their settlement in Juneau. In 1890, some 700 people converted, following chief Yees Gaanaalx and his wife of Auke Bay. The Orthodox Church Missionary Society supported the Tlingit in furnishing and constructing a church for this large congregation. St. Nicholas Orthodox Church was completed in 1894 and has maintained a strong presence among the Tlingit, Serbians, and other Europeans who followed this church. The iconostasis has six large panels sent from Russia. During this period, prospector and placer miner John Lemon operated in what is today the Lemon Creek area. The neighborhood that developed there was named for him by