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All-Merciful Savior Orthodox Mission is a
community whose functional head has been the monastic father, Aidan
(Keller) of Austin, Texas. Fr. Aidan is a rassaphore monk and served
previously as a priest of the independent Old Calendarist Synod headed
by Metr. Evloghios of Milan, Italy. Late in 2004, Fr. Aidan petitioned
to be received into the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. His
spiritual children, separately, did likewise. It was at that time that
Bishop Peter of Cleveland approved of the formation of the mission, the
establishment of a chapel, and the incorporation of the mission and St.
John Cassian Press.
From November 2004 to March 2005, some of our community
attended services at Austin's Greek Orthodox church. The hospitality
and warmth of the faithful there will not be forgotten.
The mission was blessed to begin reader
services on March 27, 2005, just after Fr. Aidan's return from the
Lenten Clergy Retreat for the Chicago Diocese of the Russian Church
Abroad.
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At first, services were held in the
Eastburns' home. By the fourth week a storefront was acquired as a
chapel. There, services were held from April 17, 2005, to February 2006.
Since the petition of Fr. Aidan to join
the Russian Church, as also the petition of the laity to join, remained
ungranted after the passing of nearly a year, most members of the
Mission joined local Greek or Antiochian churches. Some still hope to
become part of a Russian Orthodox church.
Now there is an active Russian Orthodox church in
Austin: Protection of the Holy Theotokos Church, 5401-B Clay Avenue,
just off Burnet Road. Fr. Cassian
Sibley of College Station, Texas, is its pastor. However, Fr. Hieromonk
Aidan (Keller) is assigned to this parish on loan from the Eastern
America Diocese, Russian Orthodox Church
Outside Russia. At the Protection chapel, Liturgy is held every Sunday
at 10:00 a.m., Vespers every Saturday at 5:30 p.m.
Feast day services as announced.
More info:
http://www.russianorthodoxaustin.org/
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