PA Parish Joins the GOC

The Holy Metropolis of America would like to welcome Sts. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church located in Mount Union, Pennsylvania, which has recently aligned itself with the Church of the Genuine Orthodox Christians.

On Sunday, December 17/30, 2012 Bishop Demetrius served the first Divine Liturgy, and received ten people into the GOC from the Carpatho-Russian Church. Fr. Christos Patitsas is assigned as the parish priest, and was made a father confessor. In addition to the members coming from the Carpatho-Russian Church, several other Old Calendar Orthodox Christians living in the area have begun attending the parish, bringing the total to approximately forty faithful.

The parish was founded in 1916 with the laying of the cornerstone, during the time of Archbishop Tikhon of America, the future St. Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Confessor of the faith during the early years of the Bolshevik revolution. As such, it is now the oldest parish of the GOC of America.

We wish the parishioners God's strength as they embark upon the Holy Struggle for Orthodoxy in Pennsylvania, and we invite all other interested individuals to make a stand for Orthodoxy and align themselves with our Holy Synod, following the courageous witness of these brothers and sisters.

Sts. Peter and Paul Parish Website

See also: Doctor’s Visit Nets New Parish Priest

Orthodox Awareness

A Brief History

In the early 20th century, the idea of promoting the union of Churches (Orthodox and heterodox) began to gain ground among circles in the Eastern Orthodox Church by establishing a "Communion of Churches" modeled on the League of Nations.

The Patriarchal Encyclical of 1920 foresaw a series of steps toward the “union of the Churches,” of which the first was the change of the calendar for the simultaneous celebration of feast days by all the “Churches.” The content of the encyclical was kept secret from the faithful and only after a few years became known. Read more...

Missions

Saint Matthew the Evangelist, Jonesboro, Arkansas

Jonesboro is a town located near the Eastern border of Arkansas, with a population of approximately 60,000. From a human standpoint, it’s not the most likely candidate for a traditional Orthodox mission, but for an Orthodox Christian who orders his priorities around Christ and His Church, it makes perfect sense. Read more...

Youth

2025 Youth Conference

Please join us for the 2025 youth conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada! To learn more, visit the conference website.

Ask A Priest

Why do we Call Angels “Saint”?

Q. I noticed that we call the angels Michael and Gabriel "Saint." I thought the title "Saint" was only given to humans who have proven themselves Godly. Do you mind clarifying this for me? Is there a deeper meaning to "Saint" that I am not aware of?

-S.L. Read more...