A Romanian Orthodox Parish in the Heart of Orange County
Saint Mary Romanian Orthodox Church stands on South Walnut Street in Anaheim as a place where the prayer, language, and traditions of Romanian Orthodoxy have been kept alive for four decades. The parish belongs to the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America (ROEA), a diocese of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), and gathers every Sunday at 9:00 AM for the Divine Liturgy celebrated in both Romanian and English. Its patron feast is the Dormition of the Mother of God, the oldest Marian feast in the Christian calendar, observed each August with fasting, liturgy, and a community meal called the Hram.
The community is made up of several hundred souls of varied ethnic backgrounds, second- and third-generation Romanian-Americans, and a growing number of those newly arrived from the homeland. Services are celebrated in both languages, and the parish holds fast to a traditional Romanian Orthodox worship setting. A monthly luncheon, a Sunday school, a choir, and a Ladies Auxiliary knit the parish together through the year.
Worship on Sunday Morning
The Divine Liturgy begins at 9:00 AM every Sunday, and the parish encourages the faithful to be present from the start. According to the church, arriving after the Lord's Prayer, unless prevented by force majeure, is considered a lack of piety. The liturgy itself is preceded by Matins (Utrenia) and several short preparatory services, with no formal break between them; posted starting times are educated guesses, since one service flows directly into the next.
Worship at Saint Mary is fully traditional. The faithful stand for nearly the entire service, making the sign of the Cross frequently, venerating icons, and at certain moments bowing the head or making prostrations to the floor. The sign of the Cross is made with the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand pressed together at the tips (for the Trinity) and the last two fingers pressed down to the palm (for the two natures of Christ), touching the forehead, chest, right shoulder, and left shoulder.
Only Orthodox Christians who are prepared and have recently confessed come forward to receive Holy Communion. They approach in a set order: children in arms first, then older children, men, and women, with hands crossed over the chest and no candles. After receiving the Body and Blood of Christ from a golden spoon, the communicant kisses the base of the Holy Chalice, wipes the lips with the red napkin, and returns to the pew repeating, "Glory to thee, O God, glory to thee."
The Divine Liturgy is livestreamed on YouTube every Sunday and on feast days. Visitors who cannot be present in person are welcomed to join through the livestream link, and recordings of services and sermons are shared on the parish YouTube channel.
The Three Doors and the Iconostasis
Like every Orthodox church, Saint Mary has an iconostasis separating the nave from the altar. The icons on it are arranged so that, by extension, three doors appear: the central Royal Doors, through which only the priest and deacons pass to bring the Eucharist out to the people, and the Deacon's Doors on either side, used by altar servers and others with business behind the altar.
Before services begin, the faithful venerate the icons on the stands. During Matins, when the Holy Gospel is brought to the center of the church, they venerate the Gospel first, then the icons, with two bows to the ground, a kiss, and a third bow. When the Cross is brought out for veneration, the faithful make three large prostrations instead of bows. Women cover their heads at the bringing forth of the Holy Gifts, at Confession, and at the reception of Holy Communion.
The Faith: Orthodox Christianity
The parish teaches that Orthodox Christianity is based on the belief that God is the Lord of all and has revealed Himself to mankind, in fullest measure through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. The sources of the Church's faith in Christ are found in Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition: the Old and New Testaments on the one hand, and on the other the worship and prayer, the creeds, the writings of the Holy Fathers, the lives of the saints, and the artistic and musical tradition of the Church.
The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, composed in the fourth century as a summary of the Orthodox Christian faith, is professed at every Divine Liturgy. The parish proclaims belief in one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church; in one baptism for the forgiveness of sins; in the resurrection of the dead; and in the life of the age to come. Salvation is taught as a process of drawing closer to God through faith and a life modeled after Christ, made possible by His death and resurrection.
The Orthodox Church in the United States is recognized as one of the four major faiths in the country. Orthodox Christians throughout the world hold unanimously to the apostolic faith handed down through the centuries, and the ethnic designations used for Orthodox parishes - Greek, Russian, Romanian, Antiochian, and others - refer to cultural or national roots rather than theological differences.
The Seven Mysteries (Sacraments)
Seven Mysteries stand at the center of Orthodox Christian life and are celebrated at Saint Mary by arrangement with the parish priest.
Baptism is described as a covenant between God and man. The parish baptizes by triple immersion in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, baptizing infants as an expression of God's love that precedes our own. Baptism is followed immediately by Chrismation and first Holy Communion, after which the child is brought into the full life of the Church.
Holy Matrimony is one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church, and its beauty and richness have remained unchanged through the centuries. The service has two distinct parts: the Service of Betrothal, with the priest's blessing of the rings and their exchange three times by the Sponsor, and the Service of Crowning. During the Crowning the couple is handed candles symbolizing the light of Christ, joined right hand to right hand, and crowned as king and queen of their own kingdom, the home. Readings from St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians and the Gospel of John (the wedding at Cana) are proclaimed, the couple sips three times from a common cup of wine, and the priest leads them in a ceremonial walk around the center table while the Dance of Isaiah is sung. At the end the priest lifts the Gospel and brings it between the joined hands of the bride and groom, separating them to signify that only the word of God should come between them.
Confession (Spovedanie) is the mystery through which God forgives the sins of Christians who sincerely repent. The priest sits before the icon of the Savior, hears the confession in private, and assigns a canon of repentance - prayers, prostrations, fasting, or almsgiving - according to the gravity of the sins. The faithful are expected to confess at least once a year.
Holy Unction (Sf. Maslu) is celebrated for the sick through anointing with holy oil accompanied by seven prayers and seven Gospel readings, asking for the healing of both soul and body.
Holy Orders (Preoția) is the mystery by which bishops, priests, and deacons are ordained in apostolic succession.
The parish also celebrates Holy Communion at every Divine Liturgy, the central mystery of the Church in which the bread and wine become the true Body and Blood of Christ.
Baptisms, weddings, and funerals are not performed on certain days of the liturgical year, including Wednesdays and Fridays, the eve of Great Feasts, Holy Week, Bright Week, Pentecost Sunday, and the various fasting periods. Dates are set in consultation with the parish priest.
A Parish Founded in 1985
The parish was founded in 1985, with the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Nathaniel, nine months after the arrival in the United States of Father Cornel Avramescu, who had been expelled from Romania by the communist regime together with four other priests. The first Holy Liturgy in Orange County was celebrated on March 10, 1985, in one side of the feast hall of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Tustin, a parish that kindly hosted the Romanian community for twelve years.
On July 19, 1985 the community was registered in the State of California under the name Mission "Sts. Peter and Paul," changed a year later to Mission "St. Mary" with the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God. At the 1986 Congress of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate at Vatra Românească in Michigan, the mission was accepted as a parish. In 1989 the present property was purchased - a former private kindergarten - where a chapel was set up for Friday evening and feast-day services. Everything was later demolished and in June 1991 the present construction began, consisting of the church, the parish residence, and a social hall.
Construction lasted five years due to lack of funds. The plans were designed by Gabriela Georgescu of San Diego, the engineering was signed by Veronel Dragomir, and the building was executed by Constantin Velicescu, all of them without pay. Most of the finishing work was done by Father Cornel Avramescu himself and by whoever else was willing to help. An iconostasis of linden wood and furniture of oak and other Romanian hardwoods were crafted in Romania and shipped to adorn the new temple. On September 8, 1996, the church was consecrated by holy water, and in December of the same year Archbishop Nathaniel served the first Hierarchical Liturgy. The parish credits the existence of the church to "the miracles of the Mother of God." On November 12, 2011, the church was reconsecrated by a council of five archbishops.
The Present Parish Priest
Father Alin Munteanu has served as parish priest since August 1, 2021. A graduate of the Orthodox Theological Seminary of Cluj-Napoca (1989-1994) and the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of Sibiu and Alba Iulia (1998-2002), he has held pastoral assignments in Romania and in the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate in the United States: the parish of the Dormition of the Mother of God in Oiejdea, Romania (1993-2004), St. John the Baptist in Phoenix, Arizona (2004-2007), the Holy Cross in Phoenix (2007-2014), and the Descent of the Holy Ghost in Merrillville, Indiana (2014-2021). He has been active in prison ministry in the diocese, in the organization of youth and Sunday school programs, and in the construction and renovation of parish properties, including the building of a parish house and the remodeling of church complexes. He holds the rank of Archpriest of the ROEA-OCA. He is fluent in Romanian and English.
The Patronal Feast: Dormition of the Mother of God
The parish takes its name from the Dormition of the Mother of God (Adormirea Maicii Domnului), celebrated on August 15 as a strict two-week fast beginning on August 1. According to Holy Tradition, the Mother of God, knowing the nearness of her earthly end, withdrew to the vicinity of the Garden of Gethsemane to fast and pray. The holy apostles, miraculously gathered by the Holy Spirit from the ends of the earth, attended her burial. Only Thomas arrived three days later; at his insistence the tomb was opened, and to the wonder of all it was found empty, for the Mother of God had been translated to her Son in both soul and body, becoming "the opener of the gates of paradise" for all Christians.
At Saint Mary, the feast is observed as the Hram, the principal patronal celebration of the year. A donation page on the parish site accepts offerings specifically earmarked for the Dormition Feast, and a community meal (the Pomana, or mercy meal) traditionally follows the Divine Liturgy.
Ministries and Organizations
The parish is led by the priest together with a Parish Council elected each year by the members in good standing. The president of the Ladies Auxiliary chapter and the parish's delegates to the Archdiocesan Congress serve as ex-officio members of the Council.
The Ladies Auxiliary (Reuniunea Femeilor) has existed since the founding of the parish. Although best known for the countless hours spent preparing meals and cleaning the kitchen, the organization is also dedicated to raising funds not only for the Church but for other worthy causes as well. It is the local chapter of the national ARFORA - the Association of Romanian Orthodox Ladies Auxiliaries of America.
Church Ushers (Epitropi și Usieri) typically serve one Sunday per month, greeting parishioners and visitors at the Pangari and assisting them as needed.
The Choir (Corul Bisericii) leads the people in prayer through the various liturgical services and also performs at cultural events, including the caroling of parishioners every Christmas. Its membership of mixed voices (SATB) is drawn from both American-born and recently arrived Romanians, numbering fifteen or more, and welcomes new singers.
Church School (Școala Duminicală) gathers children from preschool through high school, with a potential enrollment of over fifty students. The free program operates one hour each Sunday from September through May. Children attend the Divine Liturgy with their parents and are dismissed to their classes after Holy Communion. Field trips, activities, and special events are scheduled through the year.
Altar Servers (Slujitorii din Altar) are boys of the parish from age seven through high school who assist the priests and hierarchs in the services of the Church after a period of formation and training.
Charity (Caritatea) is a parish calling. Saint Mary partners with local outreach organizations to feed the homeless and hungry, and supports other charitable causes both locally and in Romania.
The Parish Office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM for telephone inquiries, donations, candle-lighting, questions, and visits to the church. Festival Leaders and Volunteers organize the annual Hram and other parish celebrations, with roles ranging from administration to culinary work.
Becoming a Full Member
Parish membership is open to all Orthodox Christians at least eighteen years of age who are members in good standing. The parish operates a pledge system that allows each member to make a prayerful, serious commitment to support the work of the parish through time, talent, and treasure, in thanksgiving for the blessings received. Members are expected to remain loyal to the Church, faithfully practice their faith, mature in its teachings, share the faith with others, and regularly support the parish's existence. At a minimum they are asked to be in sacramental communion with the Orthodox Church through annual Confession and Communion in their home parish.
Annual statements of giving are issued by the end of January for the previous year's donations. All donations are tax-deductible, and checks are to be made out to Saint Mary Romanian Orthodox Church with no abbreviations or omissions.
Memorials and the Faithful Departed
The Orthodox tradition of remembering the dead is fully alive at Saint Mary. Memorial services (Parastase) are offered at three days, nine days, three weeks, six weeks, six months, nine months, and one year after a death; afterward they continue once a year for seven years. After seven years the departed are commemorated on the three Saturdays of Souls (Moșii) in the church year. Koliva (a boiled wheat offering), wine, and the Prescură (altar bread) are brought to the church for the service, blessed, and shared with the faithful.
House Blessings, Candles, and Icons
Families may invite Father Alin to bless their homes through the Sfeștania, the service of the little Aghiasma. The house is cleaned, a table is set facing east with water, basil, candles, an icon, a list of the household, and (for a first blessing) a small vessel of oil with a stick of cotton wool. All interior doors are opened so the priest may enter every room to bless and sprinkle it with holy water.
Each Orthodox home keeps at least one vigil candle burning before an icon, which is placed on the east wall. Before being set in the home, a new icon is brought to the church to be consecrated, traditionally kept in the Holy Altar for forty days before being returned and blessed with holy water.
How to Worship and What to Wear
The parish asks those who come to the church to dress modestly - no short skirts, tight trousers, shorts, T-shirts, or sleeveless blouses - and to enter quietly, without conversation. Cell phones are to be switched off before entering. Children are not brought food, drinks, or toys, and gum is not chewed during the service. Seating begins from the wall, with no reserved pews.
The faithful sing along if they can; otherwise they follow the service in prayer books. After the dismissal they remain for the anointing and the reception of the antidoron (sacramental bread). Leaving the service early without serious need is considered a great sin.
Visiting for the First Time
Father Alin and the parish welcome first-time visitors warmly. The priest greets newcomers personally, and members regularly introduce themselves and ask where visitors are from. Anyone with questions during the visit is encouraged to speak with the priest.
Holy Communion is reserved for baptized and chrimmated Orthodox Christians in good standing who have prepared through recent Confession and the prescribed fast. Visitors who are not Orthodox are warmly welcomed to receive the antidoron (blessed bread) at the end of the Liturgy, to venerate the icons, and to remain present throughout the service, but are asked not to approach the Chalice. The parish explains this teaching by analogy: as marital relations are reserved for the married, the Eucharist is reserved for those who have united themselves with the Church through baptism and chrismation.
The Wider Romanian Orthodox Episcopate
Saint Mary is one of many parishes of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, a diocese of the Orthodox Church in America established in 1929. The Episcopate is governed by the Church Congress and the Episcopate Council, presided over by the Archbishop, and functions legally as a non-profit religious organization chartered in the State of Michigan. Its Diocesan Center, Vatra Românească, is located at 2535 Grey Tower Road in Jackson, Michigan. Saint Mary contributes delegates to the Archdiocesan Congress and supports both the parish and the wider Episcopate through its annual stewardship.
Practical Details
The church building is at 555 South Walnut Street, Anaheim, California 92802. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated every Sunday at 9:00 AM. The Parish Office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Donations can be mailed to the same address or made online through the parish donation page, where pledges of $25, $30, or $40 a month and one-time offerings for candles, flowers, the monthly luncheon, the Sunday school, the coffee hour, and the great feasts of the liturgical year can be designated. Sacramental certificates and other records are kept by the parish. The parish livestreams the Divine Liturgy on YouTube every Sunday and on feast days.