On Friday, May 29, the eve of the feast of Holy Pentecost, 13 baptisms were performed in the community of San Juan Clímaco Mission in San Germán, PR.

The sacrament was served by mission rector Archpriest Gregorio Justiniano and his son, Hieromonk Daniel (Justiniano).

Misión Ortodoxa San Juan Clímaco in San Germán, PR was founded in 2009 by the efforts of a small community of native Puerto Ricans returning to the island after unexpectedly discovering the beauty of the Orthodox Faith in the United States. Initially comprised of Fr. Gregorio and his immediate family, it grew in size very slowly.

In 2020, land was donated in San Germán for the building of the first architecturally Orthodox temple on the island, since the small house chapel where the mission began is now filled to capacity with several young converts. For the past year, this growing parish has been working hard to finalize blueprints for a church dedicated to the Annunciation, in the Pskov style of Russian architecture, inspired by the beautiful cemetery chapel of the Dormition of the Theotokos at Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville, NY.

By the grace of God and an anonymous donation, enough has been collected to begin building, but funds will be required to bring this project to fruition.

Donations can be made at www.misionsanjuanclimaco.org/donar.