Our parish and history
Orthodox Christian Mission in Grenada
«Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world” (Ps, 18:4)
“And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations” (Mt, 24:14)
Brief history and main goals:
Orthodox missionaries have been visiting the Caribbean islands since 2016. It was decided to begin missionary parishes in Grenada, Dominica and Trinidad and Tobago. In 2018, Metropolitan of America and New York, the first hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church outside of Russia, Hilarion, blessed the founding of the missionary parish on Grenada. It was given the name of St George – the patron saint of Grenada’s capital. The parish was visited for a short period by a priest from America (Father Peter Jackson) and since 2019 it has been led by Hieromonk Ambrose (Sitalo).
The main task of the mission is preaching to the local people as well as providing for the spiritual needs of local Orthodox, among whom there are many from Syria, and tourists. The services are held every Sunday and on all feast days. The remaining time is split between evangelistic activities. This includes street preaching; visiting hospitals, the prison, and orphanages; addressing the needs of parishioners and catechumens; giving interviews on a local radio station; and performing services from the Book of Needs. Furthermore, Hieromonk Ambrose attends to the needs of two other parishes in this region of the world, in Dominica and in Trinidad and Tobago (see below for more details).
Christianity was originally brought to the Caribbean islands by Roman Catholic missionaries and it has since widely spread. The inhabitants have a living faith in God, but Orthodoxy is a brand new, even a revelation for many. Much work is needed to catechize and bring the true faith to those who are in search of it.
One of the recent services held during a visit to the island of Trinidad is a good example. A local, pious couple having studied the history of the Church for many years were waiting for the opportunity to finally make contact with Orthodox missionaries. Father Ambrose’s missionary work provided them their first opportunity. Another woman attending the service asked who was depicted on the icon (it was a printed icon of St. Nicholas). Hearing the answer, she could not believe what she heard–it turned out that for some period of time she had been reading about his and was praying to St. Nicholas. This is providential, as St. Nicholas is not as famous on the islands as many saints. Nevertheless, he remains a quick helper and a miracle worker. She asked him to show her the true faith and the arrival of an Orthodox missionary was an answer to prayer.
It has been found that Father Ambrose is often approached on the streets, because of his “unusual” attire in those parts, but this helps elicit many questions and dialogues. Some questions are more common than others. A particular stumbling block for many inhabitants of the islands is that the Lord Jesus Christ in the Spanish tradition is depicted as European, so Christianity is associated with colonization and slavery. Some therefore doubt the authenticity of the books of the Bible. There are also personal questions. Which patron saint should one choose? Where one ought to find the right bride? People also come for support in personal crises. For more information on how the mission goes see the diaries of the priest (link).
