St. George Albanian Orthodox Church Marks 100 Years of Faith and Community

Photo: stgeorgetrumbull.org

TRUMBULL — St. George Orthodox Church, part of the Albanian Archdiocese of the Orthodox Church in America, celebrated its 100th anniversary on Sunday, June 22, with a weekend of liturgical services and festivities led by His Grace Bishop Nikodhim of Boston.

Joined by clergy from across Connecticut and Massachusetts, including former rector Fr. Sergei Bouteneff, the bishop presided over a centennial Divine Liturgy followed by a procession and blessing of a newly gifted relic of St. George, enshrined in a new icon. The service was live streamed for those unable to attend in person.

The clergy who served this day, pictured from left to right: Fr. John Kreta, Fr. Sergei Bouteneff, Bishop Nikodhim, Fr. George Coca, and Fr. Mark Doku. Photo: stgeorgetrumbull.org

That same day, parishioners gathered for a celebratory banquet with traditional food, music, and dancing.

Founded in 1925 by Albanian immigrants in the Bridgeport area, the parish has grown from a small ethnic community to a diverse Orthodox congregation. After decades of relocation and legal battles, the church moved to its permanent Trumbull home in 1979, with consecration following in 1980.

Key figures in the parish’s history include Fr. Vasil Mandi, who served without pay during the church’s early years, and later rectors Fr. Bouteneff and Fr. Dennis Rhodes, who led the parish through periods of outreach, growth, and spiritual renewal.

Today, St. George continues to serve as a beacon of Orthodox Christian life in southern Connecticut, offering services primarily in English and welcoming faithful from all backgrounds. The parish website can be found here.

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