Oregon held a mass baptism at an Orthodox parish on the Feast of Pentecost

In Bend, Oregon, St. James Parish of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) held a mass baptism on the Feast of Pentecost, welcoming new members, including adults and children, into the fold.

According to OrthoChristian, the event reflects a general trend of regular mass baptisms taking place throughout the United States in recent years. According to photos from the event, at least ten people were received into the community through the sacrament of Holy Baptism.

St. James Parish, which is served by priests Mark Solomon and Damian Kuolt, describes itself as “a community of believers from all walks of life seeking salvation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.” The community was founded in 2003 by a small group of Orthodox Christians. Initially the parish was fed by visiting priests, but over the years it has grown considerably, found a permanent rector and moved to a regular cycle of services.

The parish is named after St. James of Alaska and, according to the community, shares his missionary spirit. In their statement, the parishioners emphasize that they seek to establish the ancient Christian faith in a new place so that it becomes “a healing place for the sick, a quiet haven for those persecuted by the storm, and a garden of joy for those seeking communion with God.” It is noteworthy that similar cases of mass conversions to Orthodoxy have been recorded in other regions of the United States: earlier it was reported that eight people were received into the Church on the Feast of Pentecost in a parish on Long Island.