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Orthodox Church Near Me in Tampa Bay

You found us, and you are welcome here

If you searched for an Orthodox church near me, you are probably arriving with one of a few things on your heart. Maybe you grew up Orthodox somewhere else and you have just moved to Tampa Bay. Maybe you are reading the early Church Fathers and wondering where that ancient faith still lives. Maybe a friend invited you, or you walked past an icon in a museum and could not stop thinking about it. Maybe a season of life has turned you toward prayer, and you are looking for a quiet church where Sunday morning still means something.

Whatever brought you to this page, you are welcome at St. Michael Ukrainian Orthodox Church. We are a small parish in Pinellas Park serving the entire Tampa Bay region, and our doors are open. You do not have to be Ukrainian. You do not have to be Orthodox. You do not have to know what to do. Come, stand with us, and pray.

Where we are and when to come

Address: 9201 60th St, Pinellas Park, FL 33782. Free parking on site, accessible entrance, easy to find from I-275.

Sunday Divine Liturgy: 10:00 AM. The Divine Liturgy is our main Sunday celebration, the same service the Orthodox Church has prayed for more than fifteen hundred years. We celebrate in both Ukrainian and English.

Hours and Confession: 9:30 AM, before Liturgy. The Hours are short morning prayers, and confessions are heard quietly at the side of the church.

Phone: 727-777-4450. Fr. Stephen Siniari, our Parish Priest, will answer or return your call.

Coffee and fellowship follow Liturgy in the parish hall. Stay if you can. This is where most of the real welcome happens.

Where Tampa Bay parishioners come from

We are the only Ukrainian Orthodox parish on the western side of Tampa Bay, and parishioners drive from across the region to be with us. Some live ten minutes away. Some cross the Howard Frankland Bridge every Sunday from Hillsborough County. Each of the city guides below covers drive time and route, the local Orthodox context, and what to expect when you visit from that part of the Bay.

Inner Pinellas County: Pinellas Park (home parish) · Largo · Seminole · Dunedin · Palm Harbor

Hillsborough County: Brandon · Riverview

Pasco County: Wesley Chapel · Land O’ Lakes · New Port Richey

See the full Tampa Bay overview

What to expect at your first visit

Orthodox worship looks unfamiliar at first, especially if you grew up in a Western Christian tradition or no tradition at all. That is normal. Nobody arrives knowing what to do. Here is the short version, so you can come ready.

Dress. Comfortable and modest. Most men wear collared shirts or simple sweaters; many women wear dresses or skirts and some cover their hair with a scarf. Jeans and a clean shirt are fine. Nobody will look you up and down.

When to arrive. A few minutes before 10:00 AM is ideal. If you slip in late, that is fine too; quietly find a seat near the back and join in when you are ready. Confession is happening from 9:30 AM, so the church is already prayerful when you arrive.

What happens during Liturgy. We stand, sing, and pray together for about ninety minutes. There is incense. There are icons all around. The choir sings most of the responses; you are welcome to sing along or simply listen. The priest reads the Gospel and gives a short homily. Toward the end, Orthodox Christians receive Holy Communion from a common chalice. If you are not Orthodox, you do not receive Communion, but you are welcome to come forward at the end of Liturgy to receive a piece of blessed bread (antidoron) and a kind word from Fr. Stephen.

Coffee hour. Stay if you can. We share a meal in the parish hall after Liturgy. This is when people introduce themselves, ask your name, and explain whatever puzzled you during the Liturgy. No one will pressure you to join anything. We just like meeting visitors.

For the full guide, read What to expect at your first visit.

Other Orthodox churches in Tampa Bay

The Orthodox Church is one Church, with many faithful parishes across Tampa Bay. We want you to find your spiritual home, and if that home is somewhere other than St. Michael, we will be glad to know you found it. A few of our neighbors in the wider Orthodox communion:

  • St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Cathedral, Tampa. Greek Orthodox, established 1956, large parish on the east side of the Bay with a strong music ministry and the annual Greek Festival.
  • St. Philip the Apostle Orthodox Church, Tampa. Orthodox Church in America (OCA), all-English services, explicit outreach to those exploring Orthodoxy.
  • Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Clearwater. Greek Orthodox, growing convert community, north Pinellas.
  • St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, Tampa Bay area. Antiochian (Arabic-tradition) Orthodox, English services with some Arabic.
  • Holy Protection of the Mother of God Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Dover. Our sister parish in the same Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA jurisdiction, serving the eastern Bay.

We are Ukrainian Orthodox. That means our Sunday Divine Liturgy is in both Ukrainian and English, our liturgical calendar is the New Calendar (the same dates as Greek Orthodox parishes), and our parish life carries the music, traditions, and cultural memory of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. If you are drawn specifically to Ukrainian Orthodox tradition, or you want a parish where Slavic and English worship weave together in one celebration, St. Michael is the parish for you. If you are drawn to Greek, Antiochian, or OCA tradition, the parishes above are excellent homes. Visit a few. Pray in each. The right parish is the one that becomes home.

Frequently asked questions

What if I am not Ukrainian? Most of our visitors are not Ukrainian, and many of our parishioners came to Orthodoxy from other backgrounds. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated in English and Ukrainian side by side, so you can follow along comfortably. The faith is universal; the language and music are simply how we pray here.

What if I am not Orthodox? You are welcome. You can stand, sit, and pray with us, light a candle, listen to the readings, hear the homily. The only thing reserved for Orthodox Christians is Holy Communion from the chalice, but at the end of Liturgy you are warmly invited to receive antidoron, blessed bread, and to meet Fr. Stephen.

Do I need to bring anything? No. If you want to light a candle, donation boxes are by the candle stands; a dollar is fine. Otherwise, just yourself.

Is there a dress code? No formal dress code. Modest and comfortable is the rule. Many women cover their hair with a scarf; many do not. Both are fine. Nobody will turn you away over what you wore.

When should I arrive? A few minutes before 10:00 AM is ideal so you can find a seat and settle in. If you arrive late, that is fine; quietly slip in near the back and join us.

Are services in English or Ukrainian? Both. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated bilingually. Some prayers and hymns are in Ukrainian, some in English, often within the same petition. Service books with both languages side by side are available at the entrance.

Are children welcome? Yes, always. Orthodox children stand with their families in church and receive Holy Communion from infancy. Babies, toddlers, fidgeting, and a little noise are part of parish life, not a problem.

Come and see

We hope to see you on Sunday. Divine Liturgy at 10:00 AM. Hours and Confession from 9:30 AM. Coffee in the hall after.

9201 60th St, Pinellas Park, FL 33782. Phone 727-777-4450.

If you would like to read more before you come, our first visit guide walks through everything in detail. If you are exploring Orthodox Christianity and wondering what it means to become Orthodox, start with Becoming Orthodox and The Catechumen Journey. If you have a question we did not answer here, contact us or call Fr. Stephen directly.

Christ is in our midst. He is and always shall be.