About Our Lady of Peace [Syrian] · Jacksonville, Florida
Our Lady of Peace Syriac Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic (Syriac) parish in Jacksonville, Florida, serving faithful of the Syriac Catholic tradition of Antioch. The community is part of the Syriac Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance in the United States, an Eastern Catholic diocese immediately subject to the Holy See, and its physical location falls within the territorial boundaries of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine. The parish celebrates Sunday Mass in both English and Arabic, and live-streams the service online each Sunday. It is pastored by Rev. Nimatullah Butrus and is one of two Syriac Catholic parishes in the Jacksonville area (alongside St. Ephrem Syriac Catholic Church).
- Established
- 2014
- Patron
- Our Lady of Peace
- Rector
- Rev. Nimatullah Butrus
- Diocese
- Syriac Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance in the United States (eastern-rite); geographically within the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine
Why belong here
Our Lady of Peace welcomes Syriac Catholics in northeast Florida — and anyone drawn to the Antiochian Syriac tradition — into a close-knit parish family that keeps the apostolic faith alive in two languages. Sunday Mass is offered in both English and Arabic, the Holy Qurbono is live-streamed each week, and confession is available by appointment, making the parish accessible to working families and to those connected from a distance. It is a small, faithful Eastern Catholic community of the Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance, sharing the Jacksonville area with sister Syriac Catholic parish St. Ephrem.
Mass times at Our Lady of Peace [Syrian]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment only
Welcome & Identity
The parish opens its website with a warm welcome describing the community as a place 'where the Holy Trinity works' and as 'the continuation of the Church founded by Jesus Christ.' It emphasizes that Our Lady of Peace maintains the True Faith and Holy Tradition of the apostles, framing itself as both a parish home and an introduction to the Catholic Faith for visitors.
- Sunday Mass at 12:00 PM in English & Arabic
- Confession available by appointment
- Sunday live stream at 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm
What We Believe
The About page leads visitors into a presentation of the Catholic Faith centered on the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed, walking through each article — belief in one God the Father, in Jesus Christ his Son, in the Holy Spirit, the Church, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the dead, and life everlasting. The page serves as a basic catechetical introduction for newcomers exploring the Syriac Catholic tradition.
- Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed as the central summary of belief
- One God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
- One Baptism, one Church apostolic tradition
Parish Leadership
Our Lady of Peace is shepherded by Rev. Nimatullah Butrus, who is listed as pastor both on the parish's official website directory of clergy and in the Diocese of St. Augustine's parish directory. He can be reached at the parish email [email protected] (parish site) or [email protected] (Diocese of St. Augustine listing).
- Rev. Nimatullah Butrus — Pastor
Syriac Catholic Heritage & Diocese
As a Syriac Catholic parish, Our Lady of Peace belongs to the Syriac Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance in the United States, an Eastern Catholic eparchy immediately subject to the Holy See. The eparchy was erected on November 6, 1995, by Pope St. John Paul II, with Bishop Joseph Younan as its first eparch; Bishop Yousif Benham Habash has led it since 2010 (later elected as Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Yonan of Antioch and All the East of the Syriacs). The eparchy's see is at St. Joseph Cathedral in Bayonne, New Jersey, and it serves Syriac Catholics across the entire United States — and, through a related exarchate, in Canada.
- Eparchy erected November 6, 1995 by Pope John Paul II
- Current eparch: Bishop Yousif Benham Habash (since 2010)
- Eparchial see: St. Joseph Cathedral, Bayonne, NJ
- Jurisdiction: all Syriac Catholics in the United States
Visit & Contact
The parish shares a clear, simple contact page so that newcomers and travelers can find them easily. The church sits on University Boulevard West in the 32216 ZIP code of Jacksonville's Southside, and the parish office is reachable by phone or email during regular office hours (Monday–Friday).
- Address: 5854 University Blvd. W, Jacksonville, FL 32216
- Phone: (904) 379-2612
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Friday
Live Stream & Online Presence
The parish live-streams its Sunday services at 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm, making it possible for Syriac Catholics in northeast Florida — and beyond — to participate in the Holy Qurbono even when they cannot be physically present. The website also features a 'Donate' option for online giving and an events listing for weekly Sunday gatherings.
- Sunday live stream: 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm
- Online giving / Donate link on website
- Weekly events calendar on homepage