About Our Lady of Wisdom [Italo-Albanese] · Las Vegas, Nevada
Our Lady of Wisdom Italo-Greek Byzantine Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic parish serving the Italo-Albanian (Italo-Greek) Byzantine tradition in Las Vegas, Nevada. Founded in 1992–1993, it is the first Italo-Greek Catholic parish established in the United States since 1940 and was erected under the omophorion of what is now the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix. Geographically it sits within the territory of the Roman Metropolitan Archdiocese of Las Vegas, at 2120 Lindell Road near Sahara Avenue, where a small Byzantine community gathers for the Divine Liturgy in the Italo-Albanese rite. The parish is canonically Ruthenian but ritually Italo-Graeco-Albanian, preserving the Byzantine liturgical heritage of the descendants of 15th-century Albanian refugees who settled in southern Italy and Sicily.
- Established
- 1992
- Patron
- Our Lady of Wisdom
- Rector
- Fr. Nathan Symeon Adams (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix (Ruthenian Byzantine, Italo-Graeco-Albanian rite); geographically within the Roman Metropolitan Archdiocese of Las Vegas
Why belong here
Our Lady of Wisdom offers something rare in Nevada: a Byzantine Catholic community in the Italo-Albanese tradition, celebrating the full cycle of the Divine Liturgy, the Third Hour, Vespers, and Akathist services in a small, family-sized setting. Visitors can pray the Jesus Prayer daily at 6:00 AM, attend a robust weekly schedule of Divine Liturgies including a Saturday evening Vesperal Liturgy, and find sacramental confession every Saturday afternoon or by appointment. For Catholics seeking the spirituality of the East — the iconography, the liturgical chant, the Great Feasts of the Byzantine year — without leaving Las Vegas, Our Lady of Wisdom is a doorway into that tradition.
Mass times at Our Lady of Wisdom [Italo-Albanese]
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM
- By appointment
Identity & Byzantine Tradition
Our Lady of Wisdom is an Italo-Greek (Italo-Albanese) Byzantine Catholic parish, part of the small Eastern Catholic tradition that descends from the Byzantine-rite Albanian refugees who settled in southern Italy and Sicily after the Ottoman incursions of the 15th century. While canonically it belongs to the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church (today the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix), its liturgical usage is the Italo-Graeco-Albanian rite, celebrated in a small West-Las Vegas worship space on Lindell Road.
- Rite: Italo-Graeco-Albanian (Byzantine)
- Canonical jurisdiction: Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix
- Geographic location: within the Roman Metropolitan Archdiocese of Las Vegas
- Patron: Our Lady of Wisdom
History of the Parish
Founded in 1992–1993, Our Lady of Wisdom was erected under the omophorion of what was then the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Van Nuys, later renamed the Eparchy of Phoenix in 2009. According to the Eparchy's own historical account, it is the first Italo-Greek Catholic parish opened in the United States since 1940. The community was shepherded in its early decades by Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Francis (Vivona) and more recently has been served by Fr. Nathan Symeon Adams as Administrator.
- Founded: 1992–1993
- First pastor: Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Francis (Vivona)
- Current administrator: Fr. Nathan Symeon Adams
- Mother eparchy refounded as Eparchy of Phoenix: December 18, 2009
Liturgical Schedule
The parish maintains an unusually full weekly cycle of Byzantine services, including daily Third Hour prayers, several Divine Liturgies each week, Vespers and a Vesperal Liturgy on Saturday, and a Wednesday evening Akathist to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. The Daily Jesus Prayer is offered at 6:00 AM. Times below are taken from the parish's published schedule and directory listings.
- Sunday: Third Hour 10:00 AM; Divine Liturgy 10:30 AM
- Monday: Third Hour 9:00 AM; Divine Liturgy 7:00 PM
- Tuesday: Third Hour 9:00 AM
- Wednesday: Third Hour 9:00 AM; Akathist of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel 7:00 PM
- Thursday: Third Hour 9:00 AM
- Friday: Third Hour 9:00 AM; Divine Liturgy 11:30 AM
- Saturday: Vespers 9:00 AM; Vesperal Liturgy 5:00 PM
- Daily: Jesus Prayer 6:00 AM
Religious Education & Eparchial Programs
Faith formation and religious education at Our Lady of Wisdom are coordinated with the Eparchy of Phoenix's office of Religious Education and Evangelization, which the current Administrator also directs. Byzantine Catholic faith formation for children and adults, including preparation for the Mysteries (Sacraments) of Initiation — Chrismation, Communion, and Confession — is available through the parish.
- Religious Education and Evangelization: Eparchy of Phoenix
- Mysteries of Christian Initiation: Chrismation, Eucharist, Confession
- Youth With a Mission and seminary formation partnerships through the Eparchy
Contact & Location
The parish is located on the west side of the Las Vegas valley, near the intersection of Lindell Road and O'Bannon Drive, just north of West Sahara Avenue. Parishioners and visitors are encouraged to call ahead to confirm service times and to request appointments for confession or pastoral visits.
- Address: 2120 Lindell Road, Las Vegas, NV 89146
- Mailing: PO Box 81648, Las Vegas, NV 89180-1648
- Phone: (702) 873-5101
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: ourladyofwisdom.net
- Directions: From I-15, west on Sahara, north (right) on Lindell — parish on northeast corner of Lindell and O'Bannon
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Right Rev. Archimandrite Francis (Vivona)
Long-serving pastor credited in the ByzCath directory as the parish's pastor; oversaw the early development of the parish.
- Fr. Nathan Symeon Adams
Current Administrator; also serves as Director of Religious Education and Evangelization for the Eparchy of Phoenix.