New Orthodox Parish Founded in Arizona

Parish is Dedicated to Ss. Païsius the Athonite & Cleopa of Romania

With the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the United States, a new Orthodox parish has been founded in San Tan Valley, Arizona (covering nearby Queen Creek and Coolidge areas, as well).

Elder Cleopa, with pilgrims from Romania, visited Elder Païsius at his cell in Kapsala, Mt. Athos, in 1977. The present Patriarch of Romania, Daniel, is standing directly behind the elders.

The patron saints of the new parish are Ss. Païsius the Athonite and Cleopa of Romania. The twofold patronage reflects the pan-Orthodox make-up of the parish but also the spiritual ties that parishioners have had with the two saints.

Metropolitan Nicolae has appointed the Archpriest Peter Heers to head up the new parish. Fr. Peter was previously the rector of the parish of St. Seraphim of Sarov in the Florence area and is well known to the faithful who have united to start this new mission.

Fr. Peter with the faithful of St. Seraphim of Sarov Orthodox Church in November of 2019, just weeks before the repose of the Holy Elder Ephraim of Philotheou and Arizona and the outbreak of the Covid crisis.

With God’s help, Divine Services will begin with the feast of Palm Sunday, with Saturday evening Great Vespers beginning at 6:00 PM. (Holy Week services are tentatively listed below.) The chapel is already too small for the nearly one hundred faithful who have committed to establishing the mission, and thus the search for a larger location will commence shortly.

The Chapel of St. Seraphim of Sarov, Florence, Arizona.

Divine Services for Holy Week and Bright Week will be held at the Chapel of St. Seraphim.

A tentative schedule of Divine Services for Holy Week has been issued, but interested visitors or local residents should contact the parish first to confirm times before visiting. Temporarily, one can reach the rector via the Orthodox Ethos email, team@orthodoxethos.com.

We are very grateful to God and to His Eminence Metropolitan Nicolae, who has blessed this good, new beginning, and to the V. Rev. Fr. Iulian Aniței of Holy Protection Orthodox Church in Houston, TX, Dean of Missions, who, as a lover of Orthodox evangelism, has supported us wholeheartedly.

Please remember the new mission in your prayers! Through the prayers of our Holy Fathers Païsius and Cleopa, O Lord Jesus Christ look down from heaven and behold and visit this vineyard and perfect that which Thy right hand hath planted! (Psalm 80: 14-15)

Archpriest Peter Heers

Rector of Ss. Paisius and Cleopa Orthodox Church

Ss. Païsius and Cleopa during the latter’s visit to Mt. Athos in 1977.