Saints Peter and Paul Church, Sudbury
Saints Peter and Paul Church, Sudbury
Address: 515 Antwerp Street, Sudbury ON, P3C 4M9
Phone: 705 674 2578
Website: www.facebook.com/StsPeterandPaulSOC
Priest: Fr. Brian Payne (administrator)
Phone number: 647 909 6170
Email address: ivanfromthenorth@gmail.com
Fr. Brian Payne was born on April 12, 1968, in Windsor, Ontario, to father Stephen and mother Nancy (née Matijasevic). He was baptized shortly thereafter at Gracanica Church in Windsor, with Sam and Donna Lazic of Niagara as godparents. Growing up in Windsor, he graduated from Vincent Massey Secondary School and the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Windsor. While a student at the university, he met Jelena Backo (born to father Milorad and mother Grozdana) of Windsor. They were married on August 31, 1991, at Gracanica Church, with the officiating priests being Fr. Bozo Bakajlic and Fr. Dragoljub Malic. God blessed them with a son, Logan. He was ordained a reader by Bishop Dr. Mitrofan of Canada on the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary in 2019. Immediately thereafter, he enrolled in the ROCOR Orthodox Theological Faculty, graduating in June 2023 after successfully defending his thesis entitled “Using the Influence of Orthodox Pastoral Teachings in Shaping National Leadership Decisions Regarding Social Protection.” Metropolitan Mitrofan of Canada ordained him to the rank of deacon on June 30, 2024, and to the rank of presbyter on September 14, 2024, at the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Milton.
History
The Church and School Congregation, with a beautiful church dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, encompasses the city of Sudbury as well as the surrounding smaller towns. In addition to the church, the Church and School Congregation also includes the Serbian Centre. The first Serb settlers in Sudbury were Djuro Topo and his wife, who settled on May 6, 1924. As early as 1926, Serbs began to settle in the city in larger groups. The Church and School Congregation of Saints Peter and Paul was founded in 1937. The same year, the Queen Marija Circle of Serbian Sisters was founded, and Julka Sandor was elected as the first president. After World War II, about 500 Serbian families lived in Sudbury, many of whom worked in the Sudbury mines. Construction of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul began in 1963. The temple was completed and consecrated by Bishop Dionisije (Milivojevic) on June 27, 1964. The temple cost $150,000 to build. The temple's godfather was Tihomir Mladenovic. The temple's major benefactors were B. Tepuric, N. Nisic, L. Ceracic, Petar Sehovac, K. Tanic, R. Vukic, M. Garic, Rade Nisic, C. Zubac, J. Martinovic, J. Kovacevic, Branko Rebic, S. Milosevic, P. Vukovic, Djuran Radusin, Antonije Jankovic and Dr. Borislav Janicijevic. In recent decades, the number of Serbs in Sudbury has been drastically decreasing as many of them leave the city in search of work. The Church and School Congregation of Saints Peter and Paul was under the jurisdiction of the Metropolis of New Gracanica until May 21, 2009, when, by the decision of the Holy Council of Bishops on the arrondation of dioceses and parishes in North America, all parishes in Canada passed under the omophorion of the Diocese of Canada.
The priests who served in the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul are Fr. Milan Radojevic, Fr. Gvozden Petrovic, Fr. Jovan Lapadic, Fr. Djuro Majerle, Fr. Arsenije Vujaklija, Fr. Dragan Mitrovic, Fr. Milos Savic, Fr. Milan Popovic, Fr. Milan Jovanovic, Fr. Jovan Marjanac, Fr. Djuradj Kojic and Fr. Brian Payne.
