St. Symeon the New Theologian Church Birmingham, Alabama

Founded 1977

Diocese: Diocese of the South

Deanery: Southeastern Deanery

Address

3101 Clairmont Ave
Birmingham, Alabama 35205

http://www.stsymeon.com

Office: 205-930-9681

Parish Contacts

V. Rev. Alexander Fecanin

Rector

Home: 205-854-4235

fecanin@yahoo.com

Rev. Ignatius Crockett

Retired, Attached

1601 Trailer Lane Lot 69
Birmingham, AL 35210

Home: 205-223-5617

Rev. Dn. Ephraim Rivers

Attached

6124 Woodcrest Dr
Tuscaloosa, AL 35405

Home: 205-556-3518

Office: 205-464-3216

deaconephraim@cs.com

Directions

From Interstate 59 / 20
Exit onto US 31 south.  Exit at 8th Ave south.  Turn left and go through 4 traffic lights.  The Church is well marked on the right.

Schedule of Services

Services are in English.

6:00 PM Great Vespers.
Saturday Evening

10:00 AM Divine Liturgy.
Sunday Morning

8:30 AM Matins.
Sunday Morning

6:30 PM Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts.
Wednesday & Friday Evenings During Great Lent

6:30 PM Great Vespers with Litiya.
Eves of Great Feasts falling on work days

Divine Liturgy:  time to be announced.  Call the church.
Mornings of Great Feasts

Parish Background

St Symeon’s was founded in 1977 by second and third generation Greek and Russian-Americans and converts to Orthodoxy, who wanted to offer English language services and an active Orthodox spiritual life to their children and grandchildren.  Fr George Gladky of blessed memory, then Chancellor of the Diocese of the South, was unselfish and untiring in his care for the new flock which, at first, met in member’s homes, bank meeting rooms, and eventually in rented churches.  Under the Archpastoral guidance of our beloved Archbishop DMITRI, the Mission prospered and now permanently occupies a large church which is beautifully adorned with Byzantine Iconography from Alabama’s own Elias Katsaros.  A large imported mosaic Icon of the Theotokos adorns the front of the Church and can be seen from blocks away on the busy south side of Birmingham.

More than half our members are converts to Orthodoxy.  Many of our members regularly drive from 30 to 60 miles away to attend services several times a week.  The average age in the parish is quite young, as the children often outnumber the adults at services.  While services are almost exclusively in English, on special occasions litanites, hymns, and greetings can be heard in Greek, Slavonic, Romanian, Arabic, and Spanish, reflecting the multi-ethnic composition of the parish.

The Mission of St Symeon’s is the salvation of souls through faithful obedience to the teachings and traditions of the Holy Orthodox Church.  “O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance.”