Orthodox Mission Worldwide

@orthmission

Photos of Orthodox churches in non-Orthodox countries

Orthodox Mission Worldwide (English)

Are you fascinated by the beauty and diversity of Orthodox churches around the world? Look no further than the Telegram channel 'Orthodox Mission Worldwide' (@orthmission). This channel is dedicated to showcasing stunning photos of Orthodox churches in non-Orthodox countries, highlighting the presence and impact of the Orthodox faith on a global scale. From majestic domes to intricate architectural details, these photos capture the essence of Orthodox churches in countries where this faith is a minority. Through the lens of talented photographers, viewers can immerse themselves in the rich history and spirituality of these sacred places, gaining a deeper understanding of the Orthodox mission worldwide. Whether you are an Orthodox believer looking to connect with fellow believers around the world or simply an admirer of beautiful architecture and religious symbolism, 'Orthodox Mission Worldwide' is the perfect channel for you. Join us on this visual journey to explore the beauty and cultural significance of Orthodox churches in non-Orthodox countries. Let the images inspire you and deepen your appreciation for the global reach of the Orthodox faith. Join 'Orthodox Mission Worldwide' (@orthmission) today and discover the hidden gems of Orthodox churches in unexpected places. Immerse yourself in the beauty of these sacred spaces and be part of a global community that celebrates the rich history and traditions of the Orthodox faith. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to explore the world of Orthodox churches beyond borders. Subscribe now and embark on a visual adventure that will broaden your horizons and touch your soul.

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

10 Jan, 17:58

Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God in Beijing, China. Built in 1902, it is a parish of the now defunct Eparchy of Beijing under the autonomous Chinese Orthodox Church and is directly administered by the Moscow Patriarchate. In the 1950s it was turned into a garage for the Russian embassy following the Chinese Revolution, but in 2009 it was re-consecrated and became the only active Orthodox church in the nation's capital. The Chinese government is slowly warming up to the presence of the Church, though in the case of this parish it is afforded considerable freedom to operate on account of being located on the grounds of the Russian embassy.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

10 Jan, 01:12

This article serves as a grim reminder that even in ostensibly Orthodox countries are faith is under attack. Stand strong, and keep praying!

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

10 Jan, 01:12

Record number of attacks against Greek Orthodox Church reported in 2023
https://orthochristian.com/166078.html

The recorded attacks include vandalism, break-ins, thefts, robberies, sacrilege, grave desecration, tomb raids, arson, and other desecrations.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

06 Jan, 17:29

Monastery of the Holy Apostles in Tsamboula, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Serving under the Metropolis of Katanga of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, it is part of the monastic tradition brought to the Kolwezi region by Fr. Kosmas of Grigoriou, an early missionary to the Congo and affectionately called the Apostle to Zaire. While missions in most places took a long time to establish monasteries, the planters in Kolwezi understood that monasticism is important to feed and support the faith of the Church, and so it was a high priority there. Their prayers are yielding fruit, and through the support of the Orthodox Missionary Fraternity based in Greece money was raised to drill for water near the monastery, quenching the thirst of the much-suffering people who live there.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

05 Jan, 17:11

Orthodox Mission in St Gallen, Switzerland. Founded in 2024, it is a mission of the ROCOR Diocese of Great Britain and Western Europe. The community served its first liturgy this past July in a Roman Catholic chapel. Bp. Irinei has reported that the parishes of his diocese have grown immensely since the pandemic, and along with this new missions are being planted. The mission of the Orthodox Church to Western Europe is not as far along as it is in the United States, but planting missions and churches are a key part of realizing this purpose.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

04 Jan, 18:57

St. Nicholas Orthodox Chapel in El Estor, Guatemala. Consecrated in 2022, it is a chapel of the Diocese of Argentina and all South America under the Moscow Patriarchate. The community was founded in 2019 to support the faith of Russian employees at a nearby nickel-mining facility. The chapel is small and lacks a permanent priest, but the Church is being manifested in a part of Guatemala far from where any other parishes exist in this country. Russian employees in industry are a surprising source of church-planting around the world, and similarly parishes have been founded in Egypt and Bangladesh to support Russian Orthodox employees at nuclear plants.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

03 Jan, 17:36

St. Olga of Alaska Mission in Edmonton, Alberta. Founded in 2024, it is a mission of the OCA Archdiocese of Canada. The parish is a plant of the St. Herman of Alaska parish located in the same city, and while several Orthodox parishes exist north of the North Saskatchewan River, this is the first one located south of the river in Edmonton. The first liturgy was held with 80 people, as many of the faithful from the St. Herman parish came to support them in the founding of their mission. The mission is one of the first parishes dedicated to the newly glorified St. Olga of Alaska, and it is fitting that a parish dedicated to St. Olga would be continuing to spread the witness and mission of Orthodoxy.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

02 Jan, 17:48

This joyous event shows the mission of the Church bearing fruit, as St. Olga belonged to a people who were evangelized relatively recently, with the Ecclesiastical Mission in Alaska only beginning in 1794.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

02 Jan, 17:48

OCA Synod announces dates for glorification of St. Olga of Alaska
https://orthochristian.com/166077.html

Matushka Olga was canonized by decision of the Holy Synod in November 2023.

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

01 Jan, 18:08

Three Hierarchs Orthodox Church in Dibeen, Jordan. Opened in 2024, it is a parish of the Archdiocese of Kyriakopolis under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. The parish is the first in Jordan to bear this patronage, and was built as part of an Orthodox Center that is being organized in the city of Dibeen. Pat. Theophilos of Jerusalem led the event, and Abp. Christophoros of Kyriakopolis was also present. There were several official attendees present for the opening, including Prince Ghazi and Princess Maryam of the Jordanian royal family. While a tiny minority with some 40 churches in the entire country, Orthodox Christians in Jordan can live in relative peace compared to their brethren in neighboring countries because they have the support of Jordan's royals. Recent events have shown that such things can change in a hurry though, and may the grace of God be with them.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

31 Dec, 17:43

Church of the Apostle Andrew in Emevor, Nigeria. Located in the Delta state, it is a parish of the Diocese of Cairo and Northern Africa under the Moscow Patriarchate. Large scale Orthodox mission began in Nigeria in the 1990s, but is fairly new to this state. The faithful use a temporary parish that lacks the stateliness of a permanent church, as do many Orthodox Christians across Africa. Despite this the parish is already figuring prominently in the works of the Church; just earlier this year a seminar was held for the clergy of the local deanery to instruct them on the work that they are called to do as priests, establishing the institution of the Church there for the future.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

27 Dec, 03:51

Parish of the Apostle Thomas in Jakarta, Indonesia. A parish of the Metropolis of Singapore under the Moscow Patriarchate, it is one of the larger parishes in the diocese, and serves as the titular see of Bp. Pitirim, the vicar of the metropolis. Like a number of other urban parishes in Southeast Asia, the faithful are a mix of both Russian expatriates and Indonesian converts. Orthodoxy is taking root among the Indonesian people as it is elsewhere around the world, and many are converting.

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

25 Dec, 17:07

St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church in Lodwar, Kenya. Founded in 2007, it is a parish of the Diocese of Eldoret and Northern Kenya under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. The church was built with support from the Orthodox Christian Mission Center and consecrated in 2012 by Met. Makarios of Nairobi. It was the first Orthodox parish in the Turkana region of Kenya, and for a long time there was little movement. That is changing now, and in October Bp. Neofitos led a seminar to train lay catechists in this church. Their purpose is to go back to their communities and plant ten new Orthodox parishes in the Turkana region. Today is the Feast of the Nativity in the Church of Alexandria, and as Christ was born in a cave hundreds of Orthodox faithful in these communities have already been born anew of water and the spirit.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

24 Dec, 16:10

Church of St. Fursey in Stalham, England. Established in 1998 by British converts, it is a parish of the Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. The priest there, Fr. Stephen, was one of the founders of the community, being ordained in 2011. In 2022, the work done to establish the parish was recognized with the consecration of the church. In a particularly notable circumstance, the parish received a 94-yo convert last year, demonstrating that nobody is too old to come to the Church.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

07 Dec, 19:22

Church of the Resurrection of the Lord in Blantyre, Malawi. Consecrated in 2011, it is a parish of the Diocese of Malawi under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. Orthodox mission to Malawi began in the 1970s, but it proceeded slowly until 2009 when the mission center in Blantyre was founded. Since then it has grown into the major nexus of Orthodoxy in the African nation, with five churches existing in the city now. The photos are from a pastoral visit by Bp. Photios last year, when he ordained Fr. Vasilieos. The Church needs men to serve as clergy, and ordinations such as these are an important sign of the health of the Church there. May God bless Fr. Vasilieos in his ministry and grant him many years!

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

06 Dec, 18:46

Parish of Sts. Cleopa and Paisie of Sihăstria in Orte, Italy. Started last month, it is a new community of the Diocese of Italy under the Romanian Orthodox Church. The parish is one of the first in the world to be dedicated to the saints, who were glorified just earlier this year by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Church is growing rapidly in Italy thanks to the efforts of the Romanian Church, which now has almost 500 churches and communities there. Many of these parishes meet in rented or leased Roman Catholic churches, but by the grace of God they are bringing the Orthodox Church to these places. Orte is a small town with fewer than 10,000 people, and there are a great number of such places in the West that have yet to receive their own Orthodox parish.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

05 Dec, 18:24

Russian Orthodox Community in Cancún, Mexico. Founded in 2019, it is part of the Patriarchal Parishes of the USA under the Moscow Patriarchate. When Fr. Kyrill Chacon from the Intercession Church near Mexico City served the liturgy in 2019, it was the first ever Orthodox liturgy held in the Mexican city. While the tomos of autocephaly held by the OCA limits churches that the Moscow Patriarchate can have in the United States, this does not apply to Mexico and so in recent years efforts have been underway to organize Russian Orthodox parishes across Mexico. With these efforts, Orthodox mission is advancing around the world, and the Church is coming to places that have yet to receive her blessings.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

04 Dec, 17:06

St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Los Angeles, CA. Founded in 1946, it is a parish of the Diocese of Western America under the Ukrainian Orthodox Church USA under the Ecumenical Patriarchate. This parish and others of its jurisdiction were canonically regularized in 1995, bringing many souls into the Church. The parish has in recent years organized a parish school, where the children of the parish can learn Ukrainian. Earlier this year the church was vandalized, with no known motive for the attack. Attacks on churches are becoming increasingly common in modern society, and it is a tragedy for every community that is visited by these occurrences; just last year a Romanian Orthodox church in the Bay Area was also vandalized.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

03 Dec, 17:56

Temple of the Holy Trinity in Frunza, Ukraine. Consecrated in 2023, it is a parish of the Eparchy of Chernivtsi and Bukovina under the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Met. Melety consecrated the church and presided over Great Vespers. Numerous clergy came and concelebrated the event, and the bishop congratulated the faithful of the parish for this major step forward in the life of their community. Even amid the climate of chaos in Ukraine, the life of the Church continues, and the blessings of Christ are manifested here. While numerous churches are being lost, more are being built and consecrated, providing sanctuaries for the faithful.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

22 Nov, 18:36

St. Paul Orthodox Church in Brier, WA. Founded in 1987, it is a parish of the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. The parish from its founding was pastored by Fr. James Bernstein, former founder of Jews for Jesus who converted to the Orthodox Church. In 1993 the young parish built its church and moved into it by the end of the year. Fr. James pioneered Orthodox mission in the area north of Seattle, planting St. Andrew Church in Arlington in 1997 and St. Thomas Church in Snohomish in 2004, with these plants being the only Orthodox churches in those cities to this day. Fr. James retired in 2017 and Fr. Jeremiah, who had grown up in the parish, took over as rector. Fr. James reposed earlier this year, but his works in building up Christ's Church are bearing much fruit today.

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

21 Nov, 16:28

Orthodox charity at the Diocesan Center in Cluj, Romania. The Center contains the administrative offices of the Archdiocese of Vad, Fedeac, and Cluj for the Romanian Orthodox Church. While the faithful are usually not aware of such a place, this one functions as a site for food drives hosted by the Church. Last December Orthochristian reported on a food drive held there. The drive was attended by Bp. Benedict of Bistrița, a vicar of the archdiocese. The bishop spoke on the humility of Christ, emphasizing the importance of the Church doing good. Students from the local Orthodox college helped out in distributing some 850 bags of produce to local families. While handing out food is not as dramatic an expression of the work of the Church as serving the liturgy, feeding the poor is still a big part of what we are called to do as Christians.

https://orthochristian.com/164580.html

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

20 Nov, 11:31

Parish of the Holy Archangels in Bibua, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A parish of the Metropolis of Kananga under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, Met. Chariton visited the parish earlier this year. In his episcopal visit he was joined by Fr. Matthieu, the episcopal vicar for the Metropolis, and Fr. Agathonique, the vicar for the region of Tshikapa. The Orthodox mission to the Congo is now over 50 years old, and the Church has seen great growth in that time; the Metropolis of Kananga has over a hundred parishes, and much help is needed to run it today.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

19 Nov, 13:07

Orthodox preaching in Mongolia near the border with Russia is expanding. God willing that these efforts soon result in the planting of churches!

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

19 Nov, 13:07

Собираюсь выезжать в миссионерскую поездку в Монголию. Расширил темы устной проповеди на монгольском. Буду благодарен, если кто поможет на бензин, гостиницу и еду. Если что останется лишнее — пойдёт на внутреннюю отделку строящегося храма в Бояровке. +79133599945 (Т-Банк) пометка "Монголия". Спаси Бог!

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

18 Nov, 12:51

St. Nektarios of Aegina Orthodox Church in Prague, Czechia. Blessed earlier this month to serve the Romanian diaspora in the city, it is a parish of the Archdiocese of Prague under the Orthodox Church of the Czech and Slovak Lands. The community was founded in 2008 and originally used a wooden church dedicated to St. Michael. Tragically that church burned down in 2020, and the faithful temporarily rented out a Roman Catholic church. Abp. Michael of Prague and Bp. Siluan of Gyula under the Romanian Orthodox hierarchy co-served the blessing, as the Orthodox Church came together in her unity to support the faithful in their struggle.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

17 Nov, 11:42

St. Matrona of Moscow Orthodox Church in Lima, Peru. Founded in 2013, it is a parish of the Diocese of Argentina and all South America under the Moscow Patriarchate. An older Orthodox Community existed in the city in the 1950s, which founded the Holy Trinity Church now under Antioch, but it ceased to be Russian over time as the Russians there dwindled. The parish was revived to support the Russian community in Lima, but has also drawn in an increasing number of Peruvian converts. At one point they met in a Roman Catholic church, but later switched to a rented room. Most recently the faithful have been meeting in the Holy Trinity Church, which was the original Russian Orthodox parish in Lima.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

16 Nov, 02:54

This event is a blessing that demonstrates that the missionary labors of the Church are reaching their way back into Orthodox countries. In this way the Church is not found only in Greece or Russia, but in the whole world.

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

16 Nov, 02:53

https://orthochristian.com/164670.html

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

15 Nov, 19:18

Orthodox Cross in Tsrancha, Bulgaria. This 60-foot cross was erected in 2022 on the territory of the Eparchy of Plovdiv under the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. This cross stands in the St. George the Victorious Park that is a key part of the village. Met. Nicholas of Plovdiv served the consecration, which was celebrated on the Feast of the Holy Archangels. Bp. Arseny of Znepol was also present, as well as clergy and mayors from nearby villages. The Church can glorify God in many ways, and planting crosses to bear witness of our faith is an important but often forgotten means of doing this.

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

14 Nov, 13:43

St. John of Shanghai and San Francisco Mission Station in Faisalabad, Pakistan. Part of the St. Michael the Archangel Mission under ROCOR, the community here has existed since 2013. The previous priest in charge of the mission, Fr. Cyril, founded this community but tragically departed into schism and became an Old Believer. Fr. Joseph has taken it over and succeeded in growing it, and the community is a very healthy one now despite lacking a permanent place of worship. The ROCOR Mission to Pakistan now includes four mission stations, as Orthodoxy is growing across the South Asian nation, even in the face of Islamic persecution.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

13 Nov, 13:32

Future Church of the Apostle Thomas in Bonoua, Cote d'Ivoire. Earlier this year the foundation stone was laid for a parish to be built in the Diocese of Cairo and Northern Africa under the Moscow Patriarchate. Orthodoxy has existed in the African nation since the early 2000s, though growth had been slow for most of that history. In the past few years it has accelerated, with several new missions being planted. While the founding of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Africa was the result of a tragedy, it has led to good with many more souls in these places being led to the Church.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

12 Nov, 13:46

Church of St. Nicholas in Shelcan, Albania. Renovated earlier this year, it is a parish of the Metropolis of Elbasan under the Albanian Orthodox Church. The church fell into disrepair with the persecution of religion by Enver Hoxha's government. Located in a village just south of Elbasan, it was restored with the help of the mayor of Elbasan, the local MP, and the Ministry of Culture. Met. Andon toured the renovated church and thanked everyone involved with the restoration. Orthodoxy is on the rise in Albania, and the percentage of the population that is Orthodox rose by half a percent in the last census.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

11 Nov, 13:27

St. Nicholas Orthodox Community in Wanda, Argentina. One of the parishes in Misiones Province, it is part of the Diocese of Argentina and all South America under the Moscow Patriarchate. Russian immigrants founded numerous parishes in Misiones, which are now cared for by Abbot Bartholomew Oviedo. The lack of clergy to support them means that liturgy here is infrequent. This one is the most remote and northernmost of the Misiones parishes, and unlike the others the faithful here never built their own church. While the community is very small, it exists as a part of the Church in a strange land, and has already attracted some Argentine interest.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

10 Nov, 12:33

St. Cyprian of Carthage Orthodox Church in Midlothian, VA. Founded in 1974, it is a parish of the OCA Diocese of the South. It was founded to be an English-language mission at a time when such things were very rare. The community worshiped in a couple of temporary locations, until they purchased the church property in 1978. Recently the parish celebrated its 50th anniversary. Abp. Alexander was present for the joyous event, and Met. Tikhon of Washington and all America joined him there. The church remains an important piece of Orthodox mission in America, as the only parish in the western suburbs of Richmond.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

09 Nov, 15:24

Temple of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos in Patamary, Russia. Completed earlier this year, it's a parish of the Metropolis of Mari El under the Moscow Patriarchate. In September, several priests of the Metropolis gathered and served the first ever liturgy in the Gornomari language, which is local to the region. The Russian Orthodox Church is undertaking a renewed missionary effort with the ethnic minorities of Russia, and is working to bring them the services of the Orthodox Church in their own languages.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

08 Nov, 12:06

Romanian Orthodox Community in Shanghai, China. This past June, Fr. Constantin came from the Romanian Orthodox Metropolis of Germany to serve the first Romanian-language liturgy in China. The country was under the jurisdiction of the autonomous Chinese Orthodox Church, but it became defunct after the Cultural Revolution. Persecution still exists, and so the liturgy was celebrated in the Romanian Consulate. There are plans to form a permanent parish there. The community was gifted a Gospel among other things, and four icons were commissioned for the future parish.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

08 Nov, 10:50

More recent photos from St. John Chrysostom Orthodox Church in Oloitoktok

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

07 Nov, 15:56

St. John Chrysostom Orthodox Church in Oloitoktok, Kenya. Located near Kilimanjaro, it is a parish of the Metropolis of Nairobi under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. It is located far from the bulk of Orthodox churches in Kenya, which makes it a challenge to support and thus a high priority for mission work. The Orthodox Christian Youth Association of Kenya is organizing a pilgrimage for next year, and this is one of the sites they plan to visit. If you are interested in working to support the Orthodox Church in Kenya, please consider signing up for the pilgrimage and visiting churches and missions like this one.

https://linktr.ee/Ocyakenya

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

02 Nov, 15:38

Orthodox community in Galle, Sri Lanka. Part of the Moscow Patriarchate mission to Sri Lanka, liturgy was served there for the first time this past August. Unlike the other mission communities in Sri Lanka, the faithful here are Russian expatriates. Supporting the faithful around the world is an important element of the Church's work, and it is all the better when doing so can lead to planting a mission in a city that has never had one. Such parishes often become sites of outreach later on, and in an age when anyone can learn about the Orthodox Church through the internet it's important to have parishes as close to people as possible.

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

01 Nov, 17:40

Sts. Joachim and Anna Orthodox Church in Ugkatsania, Tanzania. A plant of the Iringa Mission, it is a parish of the Diocese of Arusha and Central Tanzania under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. The Iringa Mission is one of the most prolific in Africa today, and is rapidly establishing a second nexus of Orthodoxy in Tanzania, the first being in Bukoba to the northwest. Priests visit from the mission center to serve in these parishes, and these photos are from liturgy served there this past September. After the liturgy a meal was served to the village through the generosity of a presbytera and widow living in Greece, who worked with St. Dionysios Missionary House to make this gift a reality.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

31 Oct, 16:36

St. Anne Orthodox Parish in Lannion, France. Founded in 2001, it is a parish of the Archdiocese of Orthodox Churches of Russian Tradition in Western Europe under the Moscow Patriarchate. The Orthodox community in this Breton town goes back to the 1980s under Fr. Pierre, when the faithful met on an informal basis. When Fr. Pierre passed away, Fr. Maxime, a French convert, was ordained to take care of the faithful and the formation of a proper parish was blessed. In 2003 the parish was permitted use of a 16th century Roman Catholic chapel, putting an iconostasis in there. In front of the iconostasis is a choir gate that evokes a rood screen, a traditional element of Western Christian parish design that has long since fallen out of use. Fr. Maxime has several parishes that he cares for around Brittany, and so he is only able to serve liturgy in this parish twice a month. Despite that, it is cause for joy that Christ is being manifested here and elsewhere in the world.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

30 Oct, 15:11

Parish of the Protection of The Holy Mother of God in Osasco, Brazil. Founded in the 1950s, it is a parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of USA under the Ecumenical Patriarchate. It was founded by Ukrainian immigrants of Eastern Ukraine, hence the slower pacing chanting during the liturgy. Throughout most of its history, it has been a heavily ethnical-oriented parish, but at the start of the new Millennium, things started moving in a new direction with the ordination of new Brazillian priests. This change has accelerated with the 2020's with a small but growing interest within Orthodoxy among the local youth. As of today, the parish clergy (one priest and one very-soon-to-be deacon) is 100% Brazillian born, along with about half of the parishioners.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

29 Oct, 16:52

Church of the Holy Ascension in Unalaska, AK. Built in 1825, it's the original cathedral of what is now the OCA Diocese of Alaska. In 1795, Monk Macarius came to Unalaska and baptized many natives in what was one of the first sites of evangelism in Alaska. After the sale of Alaska to America, the diocese entered decline and when Bp. Nestor visited in the 1880s he had to stay with the workers at the local canning plant. A new bishop's residence was built and in 1894 the church was substantially expanded. The church was restored again in 1998 and today it serves as the center of the Aleutian Deanery. The Diocese of Alaska has a heavy clerical shortage and the priest at Holy Ascension customarily makes pastoral visits to the other churches on the Aleutian Islands. There is hope though that this shortage is turning around; this year St. Herman's Seminary on Kodiak Island matriculated nine new students, an unusually large amount for the tiny diocesan seminary.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

25 Oct, 17:18

Pilgrimage to the Church of St. Winifred of Trefinon in Gwytherin, Wales. The pilgrimage was organized to this pre-schism church by the Diocese of Sourozh under the Moscow Patriarchate. Bp. Matthew served the liturgy, along with Igumen Deiniol, the diocesan dean for Wales, and others. This event was the first time that a bishop of the Orthodox Church has served in this church since the Great Schism. The church itself has an extremely ancient past, and was built on the site of a 7th century monastery. The faith has a very long history on the island of Great Britain, and while the Church is growing today it's an immeasurable joy to see its long past being honored as well.

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

25 Oct, 03:48

Saint George Church in Baltiski (rus. Baltisky Port), Estonia, looks more like an Austro-Hungarian church, and not necessarily an Orthodox one, but in fact is a Russian church whose history began as a temporary military one in the times of Peter the Great. Before the revolution, the church had a more ornate and typical appearance (largely due to the neo-Russian bell tower), but fell into disrepair during the XX century.

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

24 Oct, 17:23

Orthodox mission in Paramaribo, Suriname. A mission of the ROCOR Diocese of Caracas and all South America, the first liturgy was served there last month. Hieromonk Ambrose, who oversees missions across the Caribbean, traveled there with the blessing of Bp. John of Caracas and was allowed to serve in the private chapel of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Paramaribo. While the number of Orthodox faithful was quite small, this event made history as the first ever Orthodox liturgy in Suriname. The Church is spreading to every corner of the world, and the number of countries without an organized Orthodox presence is rapidly dwindling.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

24 Oct, 06:42

Dozen children baptized at Kenyan parish of ROC’s African Exarchate
https://orthochristian.com/164029.html

A dozen children were baptized into Christ in at a church in Kenya last week.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

23 Oct, 17:08

Sts. Constantine, Helen, and Paisius of Neamţ Romanian Orthodox Mission in Oakville, Ontario. The mission began earlier this year as part of the Diocese of Canada under the Romanian Orthodox Church. Bp. Ioan Casian served the inaugural liturgy of the new mission in a Protestant church on the Sunday of the Holy Cross, and he was joined by the parish priest Fr. Marian and diocesan inspector Fr. Petre. The Toronto metro is a major hub of Romanian immigration, and the number of churches there attests to this. The town of Oakville already hosts another Romanian Orthodox church, as well as there being one in the neighboring town of Mississauga, testifying to the great need for the Church to work hard to meet the needs of the faithful.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

20 Oct, 16:00

Church of Sts. George and Andrew in Lwemiyaga, Uganda. Consecrated last year, it is a parish of the Metropolis of Kampala under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria. The community was founded in 1980 and, while they were blessed with a donation of 15 acres by the local government, they struggled for decades with minimal support. In 2013, donations by the International Orthodox Christian Charities made it possible to build a temporary church dedicated to St. Luke as well as a school. This permanent church was built, and while Orthodoxy is still small in the west of Uganda holy houses like this one are beginning to dot the landscape there too.

Orthodox Mission Worldwide

20 Oct, 07:15

In 1867, Tsar Alexander II sold Alaska to the USA. On October 18 of that year, the transfer was finalized and the American flag was raised over Fort Sitka.

The US Government then began its project to “Christianize” the “savages,” but was somewhat confused to find that the “savages” were already Christian – but the wrong sort; and literate – but in the wrong languages and the wrong alphabet.

So our government, as they did to the other native people, took away the natives’ children by force to boarding schools, where they were forbidden from speaking Aleut or Tlingit or Yupik or Russian, were denied any opportunity to go to an Orthodox church, or even be visited by a priest, and were pressured to become Protestant.

Oddly enough, if it weren’t for their priest shortage, they would have been even worse off. But they’d all had to learn the reader’s services, and they were able to keep their prayers and services going even under this persecution.

Someday, I hope, today will be recognized as the Synaxis of the New-Confessors of Alaska. It will be a while, of course, since so many are still alive — the boarding school system didn’t even *begin* to be phased out until the 1970s.

Pray to God for us, O Holy New-Confessors of Alaska, for we fervently flee to you, the speedy helpers and intercessors for our souls.

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

19 Oct, 17:16

St. Olaf Orthodox Chapel in Stiklestad, Norway. Part of the Deanery of the Patriarchal Parishes in Norway, this chapel is taken care of by Fr. Alexander from the St. Anna of Novgorod parish in Trondheim. It was originally built in 2003 in Folldal, but in 2014 it was dismantled and taken to Stiklestad where it was rebuilt for the 1,000th anniversary of the baptism of St. Olaf, King of Norway. Fr. Alexander maintains a busy schedule to visit this chapel and other Orthodox communities in central and northern Norway, and the efforts of him and the faithful have been rewarded; next year there are plans to begin construction on a larger church as the congregation has outgrown their current chapel. Information on how to support their efforts can be found here:

https://ortodoksnorge.no/2024/10/11/stiklestad-10-ars-jubileum/

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Orthodox Mission Worldwide

18 Oct, 15:44

St. Anthony the Great Orthodox Monastery in Jilotepec, Mexico. The monastery is one of quite a few in Mexico, but it is the only one serving under the Metropolis of Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and Venezuela under the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. The iconography was completed only within the last few years, making it an uncommon example of an Orthodox church in Latin America that is properly adorned with icons. Earlier this year the monastery hosted a clergy and monastic retreat for the OCA Diocese of Mexico, which was also attended by Bp. Gerasim of Fort Worth. It is a joy to see the different local churches collaborate to support each other, and in a country where Orthodox Christians are a small minority this collaboration is key for the faithful to be able to thrive.

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