First Annual Orthodox Christian Week in Ontario

A delegation of Orthodox clergy gathered for a formal reception at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario at Queen’s Park on Tuesday April 22, 2025 to celebrate the first annual Orthodox Christian Week. The gathering was attended by representatives of fourteen Orthodox Christian jurisdictions including the Serbian Orthodox Church, Georgian Orthodox Church, Macedonian Orthodox Church, Orthodox Church in America, Romanian Orthodox Church, Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Patriarchate of Constantinople) as well as clergy of the Coptic, Ethiopian, Armenian, and Indian churches. The Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada was represented by: His Eminence Metropolitan Mitrofan, diocesan secretary Fr. Jovan Marjanac and Deacon Petar Marjanovic as well as several members of the Serbian Canadian community.

The new week of significance in Ontario – home to almost one million Canadians of the Orthodox Christian faith – became law in December 2024 after Bill 167: Orthodox Christian Week Act, tabled by Member of Provincial Parliament Tom Rakocevic, received unanimous support from all Members of Provincial Parliament. This annual week-long observance will commence every Orthodox Christian Easter and will coincide with Orthodox Bright Week.

The purpose of the week-long celebration is to “share awareness of the faith, and knowledge of the contributions its followers have made here in Ontario and worldwide.”

At this prestigious inaugural event, Orthodox Christian leadership met with each other and educated Members of Provincial Parliament present on our faith and history. Each year, the formal gathering at Queen’s Park will be co-hosted by different church jurisdictions, one for each of the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches. This year’s event was co-hosted by our Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada as well as the Coptic Orthodox Church.

We hope everyone had a happy Orthodox Christian Week and may we continue to warmly greet one another from the bottom of our hearts and souls with the most joyful greeting: Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!