Plan Your Visit

Saint George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral is located at:

Sundays: Parking is available in both the church and Banyan School parking lots.

Sundays and feast days: You may also park along Palermo Street. Please do not park in Lot 10, off Palermo Street.

Other parish events: We usually arrange a special city parking permit for Palermo Street. Check the event announcement or call the office to confirm the parking arrangements for that event.

For parking or access questions, call 305-444-6541.

Our regular weekend services are:

• Saturday · Great Vespers5:00 p.m.
• Sunday · Orthros (Matins)9:15 a.m.
• Sunday · Divine Liturgy10:30 a.m.

If you are visiting on Sunday, you are welcome to come for Orthros and experience the full morning of prayer, or arrive before the Divine Liturgy begins at 10:30 a.m.

Services for feast days, Holy Week, and other special occasions are announced in our weekly bulletin and parish calendar.

Absolutely.

Saint George welcomes visitors, inquirers, friends, neighbors, and anyone who would like to experience the worship of the Orthodox Church.

Many people who worship with us today first entered an Orthodox church knowing very little about it. Please do not worry about knowing when to stand, when to make the sign of the Cross, or what everything means.

You are welcome to simply be present and pray with us.

If you have questions, our clergy and parishioners will be glad to help.

Visitors are welcome. Modest, respectful clothing is appropriate for worship; formal attire is not required.

We simply ask everyone to dress respectfully and modestly, remembering that we are entering the house of God for prayer.

You will see a range of clothing, from dresses and suits to more casual Sunday attire.

Some Orthodox women choose to cover their heads in church, while others do not. Visitors are not expected to do so.

The most important thing is that you come.

When you enter the church, you will first come into the narthex, the entrance area before the main body of the church.

You may notice people lighting candles, making the sign of the Cross, or venerating icons before entering.

You are welcome to do these things if you are familiar with them, but you are not expected to.

Simply enter quietly and find a place where you are comfortable.

Service books are available if you would like to follow along. You are also perfectly welcome simply to watch, listen, and pray.

The length depends upon the service and the feast being celebrated. As a general guide:

• Great Vespers45–60 minutes
• Orthros, or MatinsAbout one hour
• The Divine Liturgy75–90 minutes

On major feast days, during Holy Week, and on other special occasions, services may vary.

Please check our parish calendar or weekly bulletin for the most current schedule.

Orthodox worship engages the whole person.

We hear Holy Scripture. We sing and chant. We offer incense. We make the sign of the Cross. We bow. We stand before the holy icons. Above all, we gather around Christ in prayer and thanksgiving.

The center of our Sunday worship is the Divine Liturgy, in which the Church gathers to hear the Word of God and celebrate the Holy Eucharist.

You do not need to understand everything during your first visit. Orthodox worship is something we gradually enter into and learn through experience.

At Saint George, our worship is primarily in English, with Arabic and occasional Greek and Spanish also used as part of the liturgical life of our Antiochian tradition.

Whatever language is being used, the worship is the common prayer of the whole Church.

No.

Standing is the traditional posture of prayer in the Orthodox Church, so you will notice that we stand for much of the service.

There are also appropriate times to sit, and anyone who needs to sit because of age, health, pregnancy, or simply fatigue should feel completely comfortable doing so.

Visitors should not worry about trying to determine every moment when people stand or sit. Follow along as you are able.

Almost the entire Orthodox service is sung or chanted.

Our worship is traditionally offered without musical instruments because the human voice itself becomes the instrument of prayer.

At Saint George, our musical tradition is especially shaped by the Byzantine and Antiochian heritage of the Church.

The music is not intended as a performance. It serves the prayer of the Church and carries the words of Scripture and the hymns into the heart.

Icons are an important part of Orthodox Christian worship because Christianity is the faith of the Incarnation.

The eternal Son of God truly became man in Jesus Christ. Because God has entered His creation and taken visible human flesh, the Church may portray Christ and those whose lives have been transformed by Him.

Icons are not idols, and Orthodox Christians do not worship them.

We honor, or venerate, the person depicted in the icon. The honor given to the image passes to the person whom the image represents.

Most importantly, every icon ultimately points us toward Christ and the new life He gives to humanity.

Kissing an icon is an expression of love and reverence.

Just as someone might kiss the photograph of a loved one, Orthodox Christians venerate an icon as a way of honoring Christ, His Mother, the saints, and the holy events portrayed.

The physical act is not worship of wood or paint. It is an expression of communion, love, and reverence.

Visitors are welcome to venerate the icons, but there is no expectation that you do so.

A candle is a small offering of prayer.

We light candles before Christ and the saints as we pray for the living, remember those who have departed this life, offer thanksgiving, or bring a particular need before God.

The flame also reminds us of Christ, the Light of the world, and of our calling to let His light shine within us.

You do not need to be Orthodox to light a candle and pray.

The sign of the Cross is one of the simplest and most ancient prayers of the Christian body.

Orthodox Christians bring together the thumb and first two fingers of the right hand, confessing the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — the Holy Trinity. The remaining two fingers are held together, recalling the two natures of Christ, fully divine and fully human.

We then make the sign of the Cross from forehead to chest, then from right shoulder to left.

We cross ourselves frequently during worship as an act of faith, prayer, thanksgiving, repentance, and remembrance that our life belongs to Jesus Christ.

Visitors should feel no obligation to make the sign of the Cross, although you are welcome to do so.

Incense has been part of the worship of God’s people since biblical times.

Holy Scripture speaks repeatedly of incense offered before God, and the Book of Revelation describes the prayers of the saints rising before Him like incense.

When the priest or deacon censes the church, the altar, the icons, and the people, it reminds us that the whole Church and all creation are being offered to God in prayer.

Very much so.

Children are not separate from the worshipping Church. They are members of the Body of Christ and belong with us in the Divine Liturgy.

We understand that children sometimes move, make noise, or need to step outside for a few moments. Parents should never feel embarrassed by this.

Our hope is that children gradually learn the worship of the Church by being present within it.

Saint George provides Christian education for our children and young people as part of the life of the parish.

Please see our Christian Education page or speak with one of our clergy or teachers for current schedules and age groups.

We are grateful when visitors worship with us, but Holy Communion in the Orthodox Church is received by Orthodox Christians who are in full communion with the Church and have prepared themselves according to the sacramental and spiritual discipline of the Church.

This is not because we wish to exclude anyone.

For Orthodox Christians, Holy Communion is not simply an individual expression of faith or a symbol of Christian fellowship. It is the fullest expression of our unity in Christ — unity in faith, sacramental life, and the communion of the Church.

Because that unity is expressed at the Chalice, those who are not yet Orthodox do not receive Holy Communion.

We warmly invite you, however, to remain with us throughout the entire Divine Liturgy.

If you are interested in receiving Holy Communion someday, we would be very glad to speak with you about the Orthodox faith and the journey into the life of the Church.

You may see bread being distributed after Holy Communion or at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy.

This bread is called antidoron, which means “instead of the Gifts.”

It comes from the loaves offered for the Divine Liturgy but is not itself Holy Communion.

Visitors and non-Orthodox Christians are welcome to receive the blessed bread when it is offered.

It is a simple and beautiful expression of the hospitality of the Church.

Please do not feel that you need to leave immediately.

After the Sunday Divine Liturgy, we gather for fellowship and coffee. Visitors are warmly invited to join us.

It is a good opportunity to meet parishioners, introduce yourself to our clergy, and ask questions.

If you would rather simply attend the service and leave quietly, that is perfectly fine as well.

The best way to learn about Orthodoxy is not only to read about it, but to experience the life of the Church.

Come to the services. Listen to the Scriptures and hymns. Ask questions. Speak with our priest.

Saint George also offers opportunities for those who wish to learn more about the Orthodox Christian faith and for those considering becoming Orthodox.

You do not need to make any commitment simply because you are asking questions. Inquiry is welcome.

Becoming Orthodox is not simply joining an organization or adding your name to a membership list.

It is entering more deeply into life in Christ through the faith, worship, sacramental life, prayer, and spiritual discipline of His Church.

The journey normally begins by attending the services, learning about the Orthodox faith, developing a relationship with the parish, and speaking with a priest.

There is no need to rush.

If you believe God may be drawing you toward the Orthodox Church, speak with one of our priests. We would be glad to walk with you.

Please ask.

You are welcome to introduce yourself to one of our clergy after the Divine Liturgy, speak with us during fellowship, contact the Cathedral office, or arrange a time to meet personally with a priest.

No question is too basic.

If Orthodoxy is new to you, we would be grateful for the opportunity to help you discover the faith and life of the ancient Church.