New Serbian Orthodox Parish Established in Idaho

The first Liturgy at Holy Apostles Orthodox Church. Photo: westsrbdio.org

SANDPOINT — The Western American Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church has formally established a new parish in Sandpoint, Idaho, culminating in the celebration of its first Divine Liturgy on Nov. 30, 2025.

According to a release from the diocese, Bishop Maxim (Vasilijević) created the parish in September and appointed Fr. Laurent Cleenewerck — recently returned from a year of service in France — as its founding priest. The mission grew out of earlier outreach by Fr. Gregory Horton of Holy Myrrhbearers Antiochian Orthodox Church in Naples, Idaho, and has now secured a permanent home in a historic church building on Church Street in downtown Sandpoint.

Clergy and parishioners spent weeks preparing the space, installing an iconostasis and icons to ready the temple for worship. The inaugural Liturgy, celebrated on the feast of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called (New Calendar) and St. Sebastian of Jackson marked the official beginning of parish life and highlighted the diocese’s ongoing missionary efforts in northern Idaho.

Previously, UOJ reported that a Serbian parish in Detroit celebrated burning their mortgage.

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