Our history

How the parish began

Father George tells the story

In 1995 moves were made by Anglicans in the Doncaster area to become Orthodox, led by Father David Sennitt, with our parish being eventually founded. Initially services were held in the cemetery chapel in Conisbrough, before our present church in Edlington was purchased from the Roman Catholics, adapted for Orthodox worship, and consecrated — solemnly set apart for Orthodox worship — by Metropolitan Paul of Aleppo.

Initially there were about eighty people in the parish, but this number dwindled over a few years to about nine. When Father David retired I was ordained priest and appointed Parish Priest — and I remember Archbishop John (our present Patriarch) asking, “Where are the children?”

Growing again

Father Deacon Dennis Moffatt served alongside me until his death. Later we were fortunate enough to have Father Thomas Ward — then our deacon, now our Assistant Priest — serving in the parish, and latterly Father Michael Cerghit became Assistant Priest. The parish has grown steadily over the last twenty years, mainly by people born into Orthodox families seeking an Orthodox church — but we have also had increasing numbers of British people seeking to become Orthodox.

Hopefully the roots that we have planted will continue to thrive and grow. “Where are the children?” I was asked. At Christmas 2022 there were thirty-two children in church!

The next chapter is still being written — and there is room in it for you. Come and see →

Father Michael Cerghit

Formerly our Assistant Priest, Father Michael Cerghit now serves as Mission Priest for Scunthorpe — planting a new Orthodox congregation there, alongside the Archdiocese's clergy based around York. We keep him and his work in our prayers, and wish him every blessing in his new ministry.

Those who served before us

The parish gives thanks for the clergy who served here and have gone to their rest — Father David Sennitt and Father Dennis Moffatt. They are remembered on our In Memoriam page. Memory eternal.

Metropolitan Paul (Yazigi) of Aleppo, who consecrated our church, was abducted in Syria in 2013 together with Metropolitan Youhanna (Ibrahim), a bishop of a sister church in the same city; the Church continues to pray for them.