Our Story
Saint Basil the Great Orthodox Church is community of Christians committed to following our Lord Jesus Christ, his teachings and example in the context of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. We are a mission parish of the Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of the South – a local congregation of the Eastern Orthodox Communion of Churches (among which are numbered the Russian, Greek, Romanian, Antiochian and other nationally associated Orthodox communities). St. Basil’s wishes to offer the riches of traditional Christianity to all who desire a deeply reverent worship experience informed by traditional Christian doctrine and values, and to serve as a loving and safe community of believers for all who wish to join us. As a “pan Orthodox” community, and one that strives to embrace those from all walks of life, all of our services are in English. We invite you to come and be part of the work that Christ is doing through our community in Wilmington.
We were established in 2007 by a small group of Orthodox Christians in the Cape Fear region of North Carolina who were committed to expanding the Orthodox witness to Christ and His Church in Southeastern, North Carolina. Since that time, our numbers have grown, and we transitioned from borrowed space at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on 17th street in Wilmington a rented space in a light industrial area in Wilmington’s Mid-Town and finally to our own property in Wilmington’s “Northside.”
In 2012, we purchased 7.5 acres of land on the northern edge of Wilmington, and in 2015 we blessed that property, and built our first phase building which consists of 4000 square feet of fellowship and worship space. This new facility (in a region that is seeing a surge in new construction and development) will be the base of our operations, outreach and ministries for years to come. We have developed 3 acres of cleared land, leaving us 4.5 acres for future expansion.
We are an eclectic, or perhaps diverse, group, consisting of retirees and professionals, singles and families, young and old. Whatever your circumstances, you can be sure that there is a place for you in our community. We have seen a host of newcomers in recent years – some have retired to Wilmington to be close to our church while others are being born into our community. We have active groups for men and women in the parish and Christian education for adults and children mid-week throughout the year. There are plenty of opportunities to connect with others and to participate in the life of the worshiping community. We hope that you will will join us – come and see!
