История
По благословению Его Преосвященства Петра, Архиепископа Чикагского и Средне-Американского миссия святых мучениц Веры, Надежды, Любви и их матери Софии была основана на севере-западе Чикаго 5 сентября 2023 года.
В праздник святых Веры, Надежды, Веры и их матери Софии 30 сентября 2023 года о. Антоний Алексеенко прочитал молебен и провел первое церковного собрание. Миссия была основана и ее первоначальное видиние простроить православный храм и открыть православное кладбище на северо-западе были подтверждены.
The history of the mission goes back to the summer of 2020. A group of faithful Orthodox believers founded St. Nicholas of Myra Orthodox Church on July 12, 2020, the feast day of St. Paul and St. Peter. On this day, the first liturgy was serviced in a tent on a farm in Woodstock, Il. People came every Sunday to the liturgy on the farm for the rest of the summer. They were drawn by the Christian joy and love and one could say the believers “were of one heart and one soul” (Acts 4:32). And they had a vision to build its own Orthodox temple.
As the fall was drawing near, one of the church members graciously offered his personal property to the church. The parish temporarily moved to the building with great joy and gratitude to God. Alter gates, candle stands, and many other church items were donated to the church. One of the donations was an icon with the relics of St. Nicholas which signified the favor and protection of the parish by the Saint himself. The parish has been growing little by little. On the Easter night of 2022, for the first time there was not enough room for everyone in the dining hall for the blessing by the holy water.
Now, the St. Nicholas parish is no longer under the jurisdiction of the diocese of Chicago and Mid-America. The separation was sorrowful, nevertheless there was no regret or offense as the faithful, who founded the parish, labored for the glory of God with gladness and simplicity of heart.
