Welcome to Holy Cross - St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church in Barrie, a Parish of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada. While we hope that our website provides you with information about our Parish, we sincerely pray that you will come and pay us a personal visit. We welcome all Orthodox Christian faithful (and those interested in learning about Orthodox Christianity) to our Parish.
Our Community was established in 1984 in the Township of Springwater, Ontario (just outside of the City of Barrie) to provide a place of worship for ALL Orthodox Christians in Simcoe County and Muskoka Region. We are a community of families and individuals from various backgrounds who share in the traditions and ageless beliefs of our Holy Orthodox Christian Faith.
With God’s grace, we aim to provide a place where all belong to Christ, through worship (δοξολογία), sacramental life (μυστἡρια), everyday spiritual discipline (ασκήσεις), sanctification (θέωσις), education (παιδεία), witness (μαρτυρἱα), fellowship (κοινωνία) and service (διακονία).
In late 1982, His Eminence Archbishop Sotirios (then Bishop), received a letter from a parishioner, the late Bertha Heliotis, stating her willingness to donate funds towards the establishment of a Greek Orthodox Church in the Barrie-Orillia area. His Eminence organized a meeting with the members of the local Greek-Canadian Associations and all of the Greek Orthodox families in the surrounding areas regarding the need of a Greek Orthodox Church in Simcoe County.
After holding services at St. James Anglican Church in Orillia twice a month, the founding committee and Fr. Stavros Moschos began investigating sites to either construct or rent a premise to conduct services. Eventually their search led them to our present Church (the old St. James Crown Hill Anglican Church & Cemetery) which was selected and secured at a reasonable rent. Though the location was ideal, the refurbishing of the long abandoned Church would be costly. Nevertheless, it was agreed that the proposed refurbishment would proceed and the committee would embark on a money raising effort. With the initial donation as a starting point, the Church (to be known as Holy Cross-St. Nektarios) was on its way. The property would later be purchased by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada in the 1990’s
In December of 1984 the inaugural service was conducted. Fr. Stavros would guide the community for the next 10 years. Fr. Konstantinos Tsagaris would lead our Parish for a short time, until Fr. Joseph Friej was assigned to pastor our community until his death in 2006. Fr. Anatoliy Bandura was our next Priest who served for a couple of years and was followed by Fr. George Papazoglou, who served until 2016.
In November 2016, we received Parish Priest, Fr. Theodoros Alamanos, who, under his guidance, has encouraged us to embark on new journeys. From its humble beginnings with only 2 services a month, we are now at 2-3 services a week! With continued yearly renovation projects, the 200 year Church structure, has served as our home and continues to do so as our parish has slowly grown with both Greek and non-Greek individuals and families, seeking the Orthodox faith and learning to live it to its fullest!
Our building, originally constructed in 1852, is a piece of Ontario’s religious history. From its early days as an Anglican mission church to its rebirth as an Orthodox Christian house of worship, it stands today as a witness to the enduring power of faith.
Adjacent to the church is the St. James Crown Hill Cemetery — one of the oldest cemeteries in the region. Originally Anglican, it is now owned by the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada and dedicated to serving all Orthodox Christians and their families who seek a proper Orthodox burial according to the traditions of the Church.
This sacred ground reminds us of the Orthodox understanding of life, death, and resurrection — that death is not the end, but the gateway to eternal life with Christ.
Greek Orthodoxy traces its roots directly back to the Apostles, particularly St. Paul, who preached in cities like Athens and Corinth during the first century. Early Christianity in the Greek world grew within the context of the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, where Greek was the dominant language and culture. By the 4th century, Christianity was legalized by Emperor Constantine and soon became the state religion of the empire. The Greek-speaking Christian world played a central role in shaping early Christian theology, especially through the work of the Church Fathers like St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory the Theologian, and St. John Chrysostom. The major turning point came in 1054 with the Great Schism, when the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church formally split over issues like papal authority and theological differences; Greek Orthodoxy remained loyal to the conciliar model of church governance rather than papal supremacy.
After the fall of Constantinople in 1453 to the Ottoman Turks, the Greek Orthodox Church entered a period of hardship under Islamic rule, but it survived through strong community organization around the local parish and the preservation of the Greek language and Orthodox faith. Despite heavy oppression, the Church became a symbol of national identity, helping to preserve Hellenic culture throughout centuries of occupation. During the Greek War of Independence (1821–1830), the Church played a crucial role, and after Greece achieved independence, the Greek Orthodox Church separated administratively from the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, forming the autocephalous (self-governing) Church of Greece in 1833.
Today, Greek Orthodoxy remains a cornerstone of Greek national identity and spiritual life. It emphasizes liturgical tradition, apostolic continuity, and theological orthodoxy as preserved in the seven ecumenical councils. The Church maintains strong ties to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which, while symbolic, still serves as the “first among equals” in the Eastern Orthodox world. Greek Orthodoxy is not just a religious tradition — it is deeply intertwined with the history, language, culture, and survival of the Greek people themselves.
Rev. Fr. Alexandar Petkoski was born in Ohrid. He completed his Undergraduate studies at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Pastoral and Social Theology and Postgraduate studies in Social Theology and Christian Culture at the academic field Applied Theology. He holds a diploma from the Ioannina Katsarios School of Byzantine Music, that qualifies him to teach others how to sing Byzantine music. Deacon ordination October 2022. Priestly Ordination August 2025. Married to Simona Jovchevska.
EDUCATION
- 2023 - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki - Social Theology and Christian Culture
- 2018 - Aristotle University of Thessaloniki - Pastoral and Social Theology
- 2018 - Metropolis of Ioannina Katsarios School of Byzantine Music (Diploma of Byzantine Music)
- 2016 - Metropolis of Ioannina Katsarios School of Byzantine Music (Certificate of Byzantine Music)
RESEARCH INTERESTS
- Byzantine liturgical tradition
- Byzantine Liturgical Slavonic tradition
- Liturgical Source
- Manuscript Studies
- Typikon –Heortology
- Euchologion
- Byzantine Music
ORDINATIONS
- 19 August 2025 - Ordination to the Priesthood
- 30 October 2022 - Ordination to the Diaconate
LANGUAGE SPOKEN
Greek, English, Bulgarian, Serbian.
Holy Cross – St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church is a proud parish of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada, which belongs to the spiritual jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople — the historic “first among equals” among the world’s Orthodox Churches.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada, established in 1960 under the care of His Eminence Archbishop Sotirios, is the canonical presence of the Orthodox Christian faith across Canada.
It unites over 80 parishes, monasteries, and missions coast to coast, offering spiritual care to thousands of Orthodox Christians of Greek and non-Greek backgrounds alike.
Through our Archdiocese, we remain firmly rooted in the fullness of Orthodox faith, sacramental life, and canonical order, preserved across the centuries without change. Our connection to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, whose See was established by the Apostle Andrew himself, ensures that our parish stands in direct continuity with the apostolic foundation of the Church.
Who Leads Us
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I: The 270th successor to the Apostle Andrew, and the spiritual leader of over 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.
His Eminence Archbishop Sotirios: The first Archbishop of Canada, faithfully leading the Church here for over 60 years, tirelessly working to grow Orthodox life and witness across the country.
In obedience to the canons of the Church and in unity with our Archdiocese, Holy Cross – St. Nektarios remains steadfast in its commitment to uphold the Orthodox Christian faith, to celebrate the divine liturgical life, and to offer Christ’s love to all people.
