Our History & Mission
A Growing Orthodox Community in the Heart of Orlando
Saint Nina Mission began as a small gathering within St. Stephen Orthodox Church in Longwood, Florida. Father Arkady, priest of the Annunciation Mission in Jacksonville, would travel to Central Florida once a month to celebrate the Divine Liturgy for Russian-speaking parishioners — planting the first seeds of what would become our parish.
In 2018, Father Arkady and the faithful of the future St. Nina Mission extended an invitation to Fr. Andrii from Canada to serve as the parish's permanent priest. Fr. Andrii arrived with his family in April 2018 — a new chapter had begun. Liturgies gradually moved from twice monthly to every Sunday, and in March 2022 the growing community established its own home at 6832 Hanging Moss Road in Azalea Park.
Today, Saint Nina is a vibrant, welcoming OCA mission serving Orlando with English and Church Slavonic services, active catechesis, and a commitment to spreading the Orthodox faith in Central Florida.
Milestones of Faith
Fr. Arkady travels from Jacksonville to celebrate the Paschal Liturgy for Russian-speaking faithful at St. Stephen Orthodox Church in Longwood — the very first gathering that would eventually grow into St. Nina Mission.
In April 2018, Father Andrii and his family moved from Canada to become the mission's first resident priest. Weekly Sunday Liturgies began, and the community found its voice and identity as Saint Nina Orthodox Mission.
In March 2022, the growing mission moved into its own rented facility at 6832 Hanging Moss Road — a home of its own for the first time. A profound blessing after years of worshipping as guests in St. Stephen's building.
Today Saint Nina is a thriving OCA mission in East Orlando — celebrating the Divine Liturgy, running catechesis programs, and reaching out to the broader community. We are called to share the joy of Orthodox Christianity with all of Orlando.
Our Clergy
A Parish of the Orthodox Church in America
Saint Nina Mission is a canonical parish of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), which traces its roots to the Russian Orthodox mission established in Alaska in 1794. The OCA was granted autocephaly in 1970, making it one of the self-governing Orthodox Churches in the world. Our parish is under the omophor of the Diocese of the South.
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