New Parish Received into the Diocese of the Midwest

MCHENERY, IL [DOM] – On Thomas Sunday, April 23, His Eminence Archbishop Daniel, Archbishop of Chicago and the Diocese of the Midwest, made the first archpastoral visit to the newest community of the Diocese of the Midwest, St. Nicholas of Myra, McHenry, IL.

Archbishop Daniel was joined by parish priest, Mitered Archpriest Volodymyr Kovalchuk, Archpriest Tarasiy Maxim, Priest Leonty Naidzions (ROCOR), and Deacon Paul Garklavs. When addressing the parish, His Eminence welcomed the community that is now under his care and offered them encouragement to continue the good work that has already been started. The parish provided a festive meal in honor of the feast and recovering their new hierarch.

The parish began in 2020 as a small mission serving services in a tent under the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. In the earlier part of 2023, with the blessing of their hierarch, the parish priest, Fr.  Volodymyr, along with his community petitioned Archbishop Daniel to officially join the Diocese of the Midwest.

The small community, in the northern part of Illinois, is made up of mainly Slavic immigrants who have settled in the surrounding area. The welcoming community has a healthy liturgical life and looks to continue to be a home for all of those who wish to worship in the Orthodox Church.