The Orthodox Christian Church (formerly Chapel) of the Holy Spirit is the first Orthodox Christian community in Snyder County, pioneering Orthodox Christianity in the Central Susquehanna Valley and beyond. We are a parish in the Orthodox Church in America, Archdiocese of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania, under His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon and His Eminence Archbishop Melchisedek.
In 2008, Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Centre County established a monthly Vespers service with Bible study in Beavertown, PA for the growing number of people inquiring about Orthodox Christianity from Snyder County. Very quickly, these gatherings grew and moved to Sundays including prayer and teaching as more people began to inquire into Orthodoxy and the Chapel of the Holy Spirit community was established.
By 2014 the Snyder County community had outgrown its original meeting space. In conjunction with the community of Holy Trinity it was decided to build a small chapel. Archbishop Melchisedek led a cross-planting service for their new church building that year.
The groundbreaking took place in June of 2015, and the Archbishop returned to consecrate the completed chapel in October of that same year. The Chapel continued as a missionary effort of Holy Trinity Orthodox Church with the intention to form the Chapel into its own Church in the future.
On April 7th, 2024 a meeting was held between the congragations of the Chapel and Holy Trinity in which the community collectively voted to transfer the assets of the Chapel away from Holy Trinity, and the church was renamed to the Orthodox Christian Church of the Holy Spirit.
Check the menu in the top left to learn more about Orthodox Christianity, our clergy, see a gallery of the Church and more.
Essential Orthodox Christian Beliefs
On June 9, 2023 the Departments of the Orthodox Church in America released Essential Orthodox Christian Beliefs. This document is intended to address the sore need for a generally applicable catechism in the Orthodox Church. All, whether catechumens, inquirers or baptised Orthodox Christians are invited to download the e-book for free and learn more about the Faith, Tradition, and life of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Body of Christ our Lord.
Mid-Feast of Pentecost - 05/13/2025
Sunday of the Paralytic - 05/11/2025
Sunday of the Holy Myrrhbearing Women - 05/04/2025
St. Thomas Sunday - 04/27/2025
Lazarus Saturday - 04/12/2025
Fifth Sunday of Great and Holy Lent (St. Mary of Egypt) - 04/06/2025