The Russian Orthodox Church did much to alleviate the ills of colonization. Churches became the most prominent village structure and the focus of community life. Aleuts served as lay readers. They formed choirs, practicing the Orthodox liturgy in their own Aleut tongue. The Church became a sanctuary, its icons representing a spiritual dimension transcending the often harsh realities of life. The Russian Orthodox faith remains a dominant force in modern Aleut culture. The present day Church of the Holy Ascension of Christ, built in 1895, is a National Historic Landmark. In 1996, the World Monuments Watch—a highly selective listing that includes India's Taj Mahal—designated the church's 250 religious icons one of the world's 100 most endangered sites.