Panagia Church is part of the worldwide Orthodox Christian Church that began on the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem as described in the Acts of the Apostles:

The Church has her origin with Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, not with a human teacher, or group, nor a code of conduct or religious philosophy. Orthodoxy believes that the Church has her origin in the Apostolic Community called into being by Jesus Christ, and enlivened by the Holy Spirit. The Feast of Pentecost, which is celebrated fifty days after Easter, commemorates the “outpouring” of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and marks the beginning of the mission of the Church to the world. The Orthodox Church believes that she has maintained a direct and unbroken continuity of love, faith, and order with the Church of Christ born in the Pentecost experience [Reverend Thomas Fitzgerald, http://goarch.org/ourfaith/introduction].

Incorporated in 1976 as a parish of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada, the Eparchy of Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in the Canada, Panagia Church was initially established by men and women of Greek descent.  Today, Panagia consists of approximately 800 faithful who also reflect the wider Canadian experience, characterized by a great diversity of ethnic groups and religious traditions of origin.

If you are a newcomer or a visitor to Panagia Church, you are most welcome; please know that our arms and our hearts are always open to you! And while it is our hope that this website will help you learn more about our community and the Orthodox Christian Faith, we confess, above all else, that we hope you will personally visit and pray with us. You will discover an ancient yet dynamic faith, a welcoming Orthodox Christian family, and a spiritual home in which you can deepen your relationship with Christ.

As disciples of Jesus Christ, our goal is sanctification and salvation, the transfiguration and restoration of our lives to original integrity, and wholeness in union with God and participation in the Divine Life through the Holy Spirit.  Thus, we become beacons of Christ’s Light to the world in order to manifest the will of God through our moral striving, inspire Orthodox Christian spirituality through our prayer, and promote the Orthodox Church through our ecclesial communion, love, worship, education, and outreach.

The sacred mission of Panagia Church is to proclaim the Divinity of Christ and live the Orthodox Christian Faith as the Body of Christ on earth, fulfilled in the Holy Spirit through the following expressions of ministry, unto the glory of God the Father:

• A Worship Ministry that nurtures the faithful through regular participation in the sacred services and holy mysteries of the Orthodox Church as expressed through the rich liturgical and hymnological inheritance known as Byzantine music, rendered in both Greek and English.

• A Teaching Ministry that strives to educate and inspire the faithful through the Sacred Scriptures and Holy Tradition of the Church, with great emphasis on catechetical and Greek language education, for children and adults of all ages.

• A Youth Ministry that develops and nurtures our children to follow in the footsteps of Christ by learning the foundations of our faith and to live their lives in integrity, kindness and love.

• A Philanthropic Outreach Ministry, under the leadership of a vibrant Ladies Philoptochos Society, that fulfills the command of our Lord Jesus Christ to reach out to the sick and poor, and to serve the least of our brethren.

• A Social and Cultural Ministry that provides a variety of opportunities for all members of the community to volunteer and to share in activities with one another through appropriate cultural, social, and educational events that reflect the life, faith, and cultural heritage of the Church.

• A Stewardship Ministry that engenders the faithful dedication of time, talent, and treasure of parishioners in support of the ministries of the Church to the glory of God.