A growing number of Americans are showing keen interest in the Orthodox faith, particularly at a prominent New York cathedral, according to its dean. Archpriest Andrei Sommer, dean of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia’s (ROCOR) Synodal Cathedral of Our Lady of the Sign in New York, shared this observation with Sputnik, highlighting a surge in inquiries from everyday people in recent years.
“The cathedral has services in Church Slavonic, but we also have a chapel, where a hieromonk, Father Zosima, serves in English,” Father Andrei explained. He noted that Father Zosima has observed a significant uptick in interest over the past couple of years, with many visitors coming “off the streets” to learn more about Orthodoxy.
Youth form a substantial portion of those expressing curiosity, Father Andrei emphasized. This trend coincides with the Orthodox holiday celebrated on February 15, known as the Meeting of the Lord and also recognized as World Orthodox Youth Day, which underscores the faith’s appeal to younger generations.
ROCOR, the church body overseeing the cathedral, traces its origins to the 1920s, when White Russian émigrés fled their homeland following the civil war. These exiles established parishes abroad to preserve their traditions amid political upheaval in Russia.
In a historic reconciliation, ROCOR became an autonomous part of the Russian Orthodox Church in 2007. This reunion ended a schism that had persisted for nearly 90 years, formalized through the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion, restoring unity after decades of separation.
Today, ROCOR maintains hundreds of parishes around the world, with the majority located in the United States. This extensive network continues to serve both longstanding communities and newcomers drawn to the Orthodox faith, as evidenced by the recent influx at the New York cathedral.
