Find a Russian Orthodox church near you
Use your location to see Orthodox churches nearby, then check each listing for parishes of the Russian tradition.
Russian Orthodox parishes in the UK
Most Russian Orthodox parishes in Britain belong to the Diocese of Sourozh, the Moscow Patriarchate's diocese for Great Britain and Ireland, founded in 1962 and shaped for decades by the much-loved Metropolitan Anthony Bloom. Its cathedral is the Dormition Cathedral in Ennismore Gardens, Knightsbridge, a former Anglican church whose interior is now hung with icons and lit by candles. A smaller number of parishes belong to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), which has its own cathedral in Chiswick, west London. Beyond the capital there are communities in cities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Manchester, Nottingham and Edinburgh, many worshipping in borrowed or shared buildings, so always check the address before you travel.
What a service is like
- The language is Church Slavonic. Services are sung in Church Slavonic, the ancient liturgical language of the Slavic churches, usually mixed with some English. Parallel service texts are often available, and a few parishes serve largely in English.
- The singing is unaccompanied. No organ or instruments: a choir carries the whole service in rich four-part harmony, one of the glories of the Russian tradition.
- Worshippers stand. Russian churches traditionally have few seats. Chairs are provided along the walls for those who need them, and nobody minds a visitor sitting down.
- Saturday evening matters. The All-Night Vigil on Saturday evening prepares for the Sunday Divine Liturgy, which usually begins mid-morning and lasts around two hours.
- Communion follows preparation. Orthodox Christians prepare with fasting and confession; visitors simply attend, and everyone may receive the blessed bread distributed at the end.
How Russian practice differs from Greek
Faith and sacraments are identical across Eastern Orthodoxy, but the flavour differs. Russian parishes use Church Slavonic rather than Greek, sing polyphonic choral music rather than Byzantine chant, and generally keep the older Julian calendar for fixed feasts, which is why Russian Christmas falls on 7 January. Customs differ in small ways too: head coverings for women remain more common in Russian parishes, and the Saturday Vigil has a larger place than in most Greek communities. Our Eastern Orthodox guide and the Greek Orthodox guide set out the wider family.
The festal year
As across Orthodoxy, Pascha, Orthodox Easter, is the summit of the year, celebrated at midnight with a candlelit procession and the greeting Khristos voskrese, Christ is risen. Great Lent before it is kept seriously, with the long, quiet services of Holy Week drawing large congregations. Theophany in January brings the great blessing of water, which worshippers take home in bottles, and parish feast days end with generous shared meals.
Frequently asked questions
Am I welcome if I am not Russian?
Yes. Congregations today are strikingly international, services matter more than nationality, and clergy are accustomed to British enquirers. Many parishes include converts among their most active members.
Do I need to understand Church Slavonic?
No. The Liturgy follows the same structure everywhere, so a translation in hand is enough to follow along, and the music and movement communicate a great deal on their own.
How do I find a parish?
Use the finder above, browse all Orthodox churches in the directory, or work through your county. Smaller communities may serve only once or twice a month, so check the parish website for the current schedule.