Spring, Texas, October 28, 2025
Photo: chicagodiocese.org
The Church of St. Jonah of Manchuria in Spring, Texas, celebrated the 100th anniversary of its patron saint’s repose on October 20, with approximately 200 faithful gathering from across the country, including visitors from Florida, California, and Illinois.
His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal, serving as locum tenens for the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia’s Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America, presided over the festal services. He was joined by 12 priests and five deacons for the celebrations, reports the Union of Orthodox Journalists.
Photo: chicagodiocese.org
The services included multiple tonsurings and ordinations reflecting the parish’s growth.
The parish also honored Demetra Durham, its longtime choir director, with a gramota recognizing her 50 years of service both at St. Jonah’s and throughout the diocese.
The anniversary holds special significance for Abp. Gabriel, who originally blessed the establishment of the parish and designated St. Jonah of Manchuria as its patron in 1998, just two years after the saint’s canonization in 1996. He later ordained the well-known and beloved Fr. John Whiteford to the priesthood in 2001 to serve the community, which has since become a prominent spiritual center for Orthodox Christians in the Houston area.
Photo: chicagodiocese.org
Following the services, parish leadership announced a capital campaign to expand the existing church building, increase parking capacity, and eventually construct a larger temple to accommodate the growing congregation.
“Through the prayers of St. Jonah, our community continues to flourish,” said Fr. John Whiteford. “This next chapter will allow us to serve even more families and continue the mission our Archbishop first blessed nearly three decades ago.”
Details about the building campaign are available at saintjonah.org/building-campaign.
Read about St. Jonah in the article, “Holy Hierarch Jonah of Hankow.”
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