Perhaps unexpectedly, St. John of Chicago Orthodox Chapel stands as a beacon of ancient Christian faith. It is located in New Lenox Illinois. Imagine seekers discovering the roots of Christianity right here in the 21st century.
St. John of Chicago Orthodox Chapel is not just a standalone entity. It is an annex of St. Luke Orthodox Church. St. Luke Orthodox Church is in Palos Hills Illinois. This chapel serves as a missionary outreach. It welcomes those along the Lincoln Way corridor. This corridor stretches from New Lenox to Frankfort. It extends south to Manhattan Illinois.
The services at St. John of Chicago Orthodox Chapel connect the present to the past. The main service is the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. This liturgy dates back to the 4th century. Its prayers even predate the Gospels. Other liturgies enrich the chapel’s worship. The Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is also from the 4th century. The Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts is another. It is attributed to Saint Gregory of Rome a 6th-century pope.
St. John of Chicago Chapel offers Sunday services. The schedule begins with 9:50 AM Hours. This is followed by the 10 AM Divine Liturgy. Confessions are heard before the Divine Liturgy. Appointments are also available.
Finding St. John of Chicago Orthodox Chapel is easy. It is one block south of US Route 30. It is one block east of Cedar Road in New Lenox. For those using public transportation the New Lenox Rock Island METRA train stops nearby. It stops one block north of the chapel. Sunday trains from downtown Chicago arrive at 9:44 AM. A train returns to Chicago at 12:24 PM.
The story of St. John of Chicago is intertwined with St. John Kochurov. He was a hieromartyr of the Soviet revolution. He was one of the young priests who came to the United States. This was in the late 1890s. He served as a missionary among émigrés. These émigrés were from Carpathian Ruthenia and Galicia. Kochurov was active in establishing parishes. He aided communities mainly in the Midwest. He helped found St. Vladimir’s Church in Chicago. It later became the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Returning to Russia in 1907 Kochurov taught skills he learned in America. In 1916 he was assigned to Tsarskoe Selo. He was martyred there during the Bolshevik revolution. His feast day is celebrated on October 31. He is also remembered on the feast of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia.
So here at St. John of Chicago Orthodox Chapel you find a link to early Christian traditions. You experience the legacy of St. John Kochurov. The chapel is a testament to faith outreach and historical connection.