SAINT GEORGE ORTHODOX CHURCH

RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OUTSIDE RUSSIA

303 Grace Street, Michigan City, Indiana 46360

Anniversary of St. George

CHRIST IS RISEN ! INDEED HE IS RISEN

St. George Orthodox Church is celebrating our 115^th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of this parish with the blessing of St. Raphael Hawaweeny of Brooklyn of the Russian Orthodox Church Vicar of the Syro-Arabian Mission.

We will be blessed with a visit from our new ruling hierarch, His Grace Bishop Spyridon of Chicago and Mid-America. We will have a festive Hierarchal Divine Liturgy starting at 9am on Saturday, August 29, 2026, followed by a banquet.

If you desire to attend the banquet, please purchase one ticket for each person attending age 7 and older; children 6 and under are free. Price for adults 12 and older is $50 per person; price for children ages 7 through 12 is $20 per person. These prices cover both the banquet but also allow for fund raising for the parish. Please be aware that space is limited to 90 persons, so purchase your tickets as soon as you can; RSVP by Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Thank you.

If you cannot attend the banquet, would you consider a small donation to assist our celebration? Thank you for what you can give.

To purchase tickets or to donate, click the link below to go to an online donation form hosted by Tithe.ly. From the dropdown box select “Banquet Tickets” to purchase tickets, or select “Anniversary Donation” to donate to the church. Please use the memo field on the form to tell us the number of adult tickets and child tickets you are purchasing, as well as the number of children 6 and under who will attend.

Thank you.

Purchase Banquet Tickets

Welcome to Our Parish!

Very Rev. Fr Antonios Abu-Allam Farah

ST GEORGE THE GREAT MARTYR

Consecration Sept 4, 1914

Our Father among the Saints, Raphael (Hawaweeny), Bishop of Brooklyn, vicar of the Syro-Arabian Mission of the Russian Orthodox Church and was the first Orthodox Christian bishop consecrated on American soil. Traveling throughout the continent in the first years of the 20th century, he founded thirty parishes in North America. His feast day is celebrated in the Antiochian Archdiocese on the first Saturday of November. His repose took place on February 27, 1915. St. Raphael, a man of angelic name and apostolic fervor, was influenced by many cultures. He was born and raised in the Middle East, educated by Greeks at Halki and by Russians at Kiev, and he spent the last nineteen years of his life as a missionary in North America. Our parish in Michigan City was consecrated by St. Bishop Raphael Hawaweeny, on September 4, 1914. Most likely the last church before his untimely death

We are pleased to Welcome you to our small community. If you are already an Orthodox Christian, a pilgrim or a visitor we want your visit to be informative and spiritually uplifting.

We are happy you are with us today!

Only Baptized and or Chrismated Orthodox Christians who have prepared themselves by fasting, prayer and confession may receive the Holy Eucharist. We believe that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, by partaking of Holy Communion we become united in Christ, The Church, and with one another in the Unity of Faith, the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

Thank your for your understanding that this may only be shared as the teaching of the Apostles: "... Whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgement to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you and many sleep (die). For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged we are chastened by the Lord that we may not be condemned with the world". (I Cor 11:27-32)

St. John Chrysostom, commenting on I Corinthians 11:27 says: " I give councel to everyone among you, weather man or woman, weather great or small, to anyone of you that may be guilty of sin, convicted by your own counsels, that first you must repent and Confess your sins, that you may dare, considering yourself unworthy, to approach and touch the Divine Fire itself. For our God is a consuming fire, and they, therefore, who with faith and fear draw near to God and King and Judge of us all, shall burn and scorch their sins; and it shall enlighten and sanctify their souls. But it shall burn and scorch with shame, the souls and bodies of them that draw near with unbelief. Therefore, many amoung you are ill and sleep in sickness, that is, many dying unconfessed and unrepentant" (Homily of Holy Thursday)

Why Come?

Russian Primary Chronicle: reports of the envoys to Vladimir the Great Prince of Kieven-Rus upon their return from Constantinople and the great church of Hagia Sophia. While still pagan the prince desiring to know which is the true religion he sent them in 987 a.d. to visit various countries and their religions.

"We know not whether we were in heaven or on earth, for surley there is no such splendor or beauty anywhere on earth. We cannot describe it to you: we only know this, that God dwells there among men, and that their service surpasses the worship of all other places. For we cannot forget that beauty."
You too, can experience heaven on earth especially in the celebration of the Divine Liturgy. Here you will find in the unexplainable spiritual and beautiful mystery of God who became man. Worship of God, icons~divine images, incense and sacred music that will lead you to contemplate Heaven all this works as a great balance for peace, joy and repentance each need for our souls. Come there fore and transcend time and space with us meditating on the words and teachings of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ.
I recieved the Small Schema - monastic tonsure this past march 2019 and my first name was changed to reflect my new status. I received the name Raphael after Saint Raphael Hawaweeny who consecrated our church in 1914 and was canoized as saint in 2000.

For those wishing, the mystery of repentance/“confession” is available before and after services or by appointment. Please see Fr. Raphael

Founded	October 1910
About	The One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church
Mission	We are looking for like minded faithful to come and join us in this, hopeful, new restoration, to bring the light and life of Christ back to the community. Please contact us if you are interested. The Orthodox Church which is completely devoted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Holy Fathers which has huge potential to change your life forever. We follow the Ecclesiastical Julian Calendar!
Email	pravoslavney@yahoo.com