House Springs, Missouri, January 21, 2026
Fr. Christopher Stade. Photo: St. Basil the Great Orthodox Church - St. Louis, Missouri
Archpriest Christopher Stade, the longtime rector of St. John Chrysostom Orthodox Church in House Springs, Missouri (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia), reposed in the Lord on January 9.
Fr. Christopher is best known as the founder of Chrysostom Press, which translated and published numerous Gospel and Epistle commentaries by Blessed Theophylact of Ohrid. It also produced English-language publications of The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints by St. Dimitry of Rostov.
Photo: St. Basil the Great Orthodox Church - St. Louis, Missouri
The newly retired Fr. Christopher served as assistant priest of St. John Chrysostom Church from 1990 to 1992, and as rector from 1992 until 2016, when he had to retire due to health. The parish saw considerable growth during his tenure. The Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and funeral were served there on January 12 by His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel, Locum Tenens of the ROCOR Diocese of Chicago and Mid-America.
In his eulogy, Abp. Gabriel spoke of Fr. Christopher as a loving pastor:
As one priest who knew him well said to me, Fr. Christopher was indeed the person, as it says in the Gospel, that would leave the 99 sheep to find the lost sheep. He would always dedicate the time to the person that was in need of care, of spiritual nourishment, and would always be happy to do so, understanding the importance of bringing somebody back into the fold, or helping them with their spiritual lives. But of course, like I said, he was very much an example through his meekness and through his humility. And indeed, that was what was needed to, perhaps, endure some of the hardships that he had to endure here during his life as the past rector of this parish.
May Fr. Christopher’s memory be eternal!
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