Durham Orthodox Church at Providence Row

The Orthodox Parish of St Cuthbert and St Bede in Durham was established in the autumn of 1996, initiated by students and academic staff from Durham University. At that time, the nearest Orthodox parishes were located in Newcastle and Middlesbrough, primarily conducting services in Greek and lacking permanent priests, resulting in infrequent liturgies. This situation prompted Orthodox Christians in Durham and the surrounding areas, who sought regular services in English, to form their own community. With the blessing of the late Archbishop Gregorios of Thyateira and Great Britain, the community began holding monthly liturgies in the Norman Chapel within Durham Castle, led by the late Archimandrite Ephrem (Lash).

Stone church with Gothic architecture situated on a hillside with bare trees and stone pathway leading to entrance.

Small stone chapel with blue wooden door and arched entrance surrounded by bare winter trees.

Small stone chapel with Gothic arched windows sits among bare trees on a hillside cemetery plot.

In January 2002, Andrey Kordochkin, a doctoral student at Durham University, was ordained and became the parish priest, introducing weekly services. Upon his departure, Professor Andrew Louth, a scholar in Patristics and Byzantine Studies at Durham University, was ordained in July 2003 and served as the rector for nearly two decades. In 2018, Dr. Justin Mihoc was ordained to assist in pastoral duties and became the rector in February 2022 after Fr. Andrew’s retirement.

The parish, under the pastoral care of Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Central Europe (Romanian Patriarchate), has grown into a diverse community, including members from English, Greek, Romanian, Russian, German, Bulgarian, Georgian and Polish backgrounds. Services are primarily conducted in English, with hymns and readings also in Greek, Romanian and Slavonic.

Interior of an orthodox church with a golden iconostasis, wooden floors, red carpet, and hanging chandelier.

Religious items including prayer books and decorative objects on a table with a metallic bowl in a church or chapel setting.

Interior view from above of an Orthodox church with iconostasis, chandeliers, and hardwood floors.

In August 2023, the parish moved into a newly refurbished church on Providence Row, Durham, providing a permanent home for the community. This church serves both the local population and the Orthodox chaplaincy for Durham University, fostering ecumenical dialogue and maintaining a special relationship with the Anglican Diocese of Durham.

While the parish is under the Romanian Patriarchate, it serves a diverse congregation and conducts services in multiple languages, reflecting its inclusive mission.