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Orthodox Parish in England Seeks to Restore Ancient Church Building
An Antiochian Orthodox parish in York is seeking to purchase and restore a pre-Schism church building as its permanent home.
YORK, ENGLAND — The Orthodox Church of St. Constantine the Great in York is seeking a permanent home in an ancient church building within the city’s medieval walls. The parish, which belongs to the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland, hopes to purchase and restore St. Martin-cum-Gregory for Orthodox worship.
Founded in 2004, the York parish has grown steadily and welcomed inquirers, catechumens, and converts to the Orthodox Church. With the blessing of Metr. Silouan, the community is now seeking to establish a permanent presence in a building whose history stretches back more than a millennium.
St. Martin-cum-Gregory stands on Micklegate, an ancient Roman street within York’s medieval city walls. The church predates the Great Schism between Eastern and Western Christianity, and its foundation stones incorporate elements of a Roman building dating to the period when St. Constantine the Great was proclaimed Roman Emperor in York.
The building was closed for public worship in 2004 after having served as a parish church for nearly a thousand years. It has remained largely unused since then, although the structure is reportedly still in generally good condition.
The Orthodox community hopes to restore the historic church and return it to Christian worship, dedicating its use to the Holy and Undivided Trinity. Parish members believe the project represents an opportunity to reconnect the building with the ancient Christian heritage of York.
Photo: antiochian.org
The community has released a short film explaining the parish’s history, the significance of the proposed project, and ways people can assist with the effort. The campaign is seeking support for the purchase and restoration of the historic building.
Above all, the parish is asking Orthodox Christians to pray that Orthodox worship may once again be established within the ancient city of York, where numerous saints preached the Gospel during the early centuries of Christianity in Britain.
Previously, the UOJ reported that help is being sought to preserve a 1901 Orthodox church in Alaska.
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