Chicago, March 17, 2026
Holy Annunciation Orthodo Church in St. James, Missouri, one of the quickly growing parishes within the OCA’s Diocese of the Midwest. Photo: domoca.org
As has been widely reported in both Orthodox and secular media in recent years, Orthodoxy is experiencing amazing growth in America and other diaspora countries.
Many parishes have baptized dozens or even hundreds of people and still have as many catechumens preparing for holy illumination. In fact, according to a recent statement, just one diocese of one jurisdiction in America currently has more than 1,100 catechumens preparing for Baptism and Chrismation.
“Great Lent is a particularly meaningful time of preparation for those journeying toward full reception into the Orthodox Church at Pascha,” writes the Orthodox Church in America’s Diocese of the Midwest. Across the diocese, “many men and women are deepening their prayer, study, and spiritual formation as they prepare to receive the Sacraments that will fully unite them to Christ and His Church.”
“The commitment of these catechumens and their desire to share in the fullness of the Christian faith are signs of hope and renewal for the entire Church, encouraging and edifying the faithful everywhere,” the diocese writes.
The statement concludes with a call for all the clergy, monastics, and faithful of the diocese to pray for the catechumens who are preparing to be received into the Church at Pascha.
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