OUR MISSION
We are an Orthodox Christian Mission which is based on the Isle of Man, and we are part of the Genuine Orthodox Church of the British Isles, which is presided by His Eminence, Bishop Sozomenos who was consecrated in October of 2019, becoming Metropolitan of the see Mercia and the British Isles. Our Mission was originally founded in 1984 by an Orthodox Priest and his family together with a Russian Orthodox Monk, who were under the spiritual direction of His Eminence Metropolitan of Citium, Epiphanius of the Genuine Orthodox Church of Cyprus, who at the time, was the Locum Tenens (Acting Bishop) of the Genuine Orthodox Church of the British Isles.
The Orthodox Church on the Isle of Man dates back to the 5th Century and was established by St. Patrick of Ireland who preached the Gospel to the locals and left his nephew, St. Germanus, to be the first bishop of Mann in 447AD. St. Bridget is also credited with visits to the Island where till this day, several ancient sites bear her name; “Breesha” (from Bridget), a name which is very popular with the locals. Furthermore, St. Maughold, who had been converted and baptised by St. Patrick, arrived in a coracle from Ireland and also became a local bishop, where he was also part of the Monastic Community in the North of the island.
Like Ireland, the early church here derived its inspiration from the Ascetic Monks of Egypt and the Eastern Mediterranean. Church life was a simple one of vigorous and ascetic labour, centred on as many as 200 keeills (small chapels), which were built to shelter priests and handfuls of worshippers. These chapels were abandoned in the 11th century in favour of about 20 larger parish churches. It was at this time when the Island fell under the western Latin (Roman Catholic) Church, which caused the Orthodox Church and way of life to slowly disappear.
​
We confess the pure and unchanged Confession of Faith of the Eastern Orthodox Church. We reject Ecumenism and therefore are not in Ecclesial Communion with any "Christian" denominations which are either part of the Ecumenical Movement, or who follow the New (Gregorian) Calendar.
We welcome any enquiries from anyone interested in learning more about Orthodox Christianity and attending church services. We pray that the Isle of Man will return back to its Orthodox Christian roots.