Orlando, October 28, 2026
Photo: St. John the Merciful Orthodox Church
A young Orthodox mission near Orlando’s theme parks now has 23 catechumens preparing to enter the Church.
St. John the Merciful Orthodox Mission, led by Fr. David Galloway, announced the growth on Monday, welcoming three new catechumens: Rodrigo, Sam and Marie.
Photo: St. John the Merciful Orthodox Church
“Please welcome our newest catechumen: Rodrigo, Sam, and Marie. Our parish now has 23 catechumen. Glory to God!” the parish posted.
Earlier in the month, the parish also reported on the illumination of four people: Maximilian, Xenia (Erika), Nathan (Calvin) and Gabriel (Axl).
Photo: orthodoxorlando.com
St. John the Merciful is a mission church serving the South Orlando and Kissimmee communities. It was founded in 2019 out of St. Stephen’s Orthodox Church in Longwood, in north Orlando. The mission started with five families from St. Stephen’s holding reader’s services, with occasional Liturgies served by visiting priests. It got its first priest in 2021, and Fr. David arrived in June 2023.
The parish is made up of Orthodox Christians from various places, ethnicities, languages, and backgrounds, with services entirely in English.
The parish describes its mission:
To make disciples.
To baptize.
To teach.
To form men, women, and children into mature members of the Body of Christ.
We are not content merely to maintain a mission. We intend to build a stable and life-giving parish — strong enough to nurture families, form saints, and, in time, give birth to new missions throughout this region. A mother parish capable of giving life.
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