In April 2024, +Archbishop Peter (of blessed memory), the shepherd of the Diocese of Chicago and Mid America, blessed our community to take on Venerable Justin (Popovich) of Chelije as our heavenly patron and entrusted us to the care of our local Dean, Archpriest Sergii Alekseev. Our mission began at once to conduct Reader Services on Sundays in a rented section of an historic home in downtown Cape Girardeau across the street from the university. We have continued to conduct weekly services and are pleased to now offer Divine Liturgies on a monthly basis.

Our mission is the first in North America to be named in honor of our beloved St. Justin of Chelije. Many of the founding members of our parish were first acquainted with St. Justin by our former spiritual father Archpriest Justin Frederick in Texas who was himself named after the saint. The catechism we received was rooted in St. Justin’s teachings on the absolute centrality of the God-Man, Jesus Christ; the Church being one and unique as His Body; the importance of fidelity to the revealed Truth as found in the Orthodox faith; and the study of the lives of the Saints. This upbringing, so to speak, finds its natural place within ROCOR and was central in our desire to plant a ROCOR mission in Southeast Missouri.