Cape Girardeau, July 4, 2024
Photo: chicagodiocese.org
On June 1/14, the day after the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, a church dedicated to St. Justin (Popovic) of Chelije in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, held its first Divine Liturgy and its first Patronal feast. On that date the Church also commemorates the the Translation of the relics of St. Justin of Chelije. The Liturgy was served by Fr. Sergii with assistance from Subdeacon Ivan Alekseev and two choir members from St. Basil the Great Church in St Louis, Missouri.
Cape Girardeau is the major regional hub of Southeast Missouri and home to Southeast Missouri State University. In April, Archbishop Peter of Chicago (ROCOR) blessed the community to recieve St. Justin (Popovich) of Chelije as its heavenly patron and entrusted the faithful there to the care of the local Dean, Archpriest Sergii Alekseev. The mission began at once to conduct Reader Services on Sundays in a rented section of an historic home in downtown Cape Girardeau, across the street from the university.
After the Divine Liturgy, the first parish meeting was held. At the meeting, the mission rector read greetings from Archbishop Peter and his best wishes for the success of the mission to bring many souls to Orthodox Christianity. To the communities great joy their first Divine Liturgy was being served just as a ROCOR delegation of hierarchs and clergy (including representatives from the Chicago diocese) was in Serbia, praying before the relics of St. Justin.
This is the first mission in North America to be named in honor of St. Justin (Popovic).
To learn more about St. Justin Orthodox Church, please visit its website.
