About Saint Maron [Maronite] · Jacksonville, Florida
St. Maron Maronite Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic (Maronite) mission parish located on Bowden Road in Jacksonville's Southside, Florida. It belongs to the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn and serves the Maronite Lebanese faithful of northeast Florida within the territorial Diocese of St. Augustine. The parish traces its local roots to 1995 and now offers Sunday Liturgy, weekday Masses in the Maronite tradition, religious education, and Eucharistic Adoration, while sharing a deep connection to two thousand years of Syriac Maronite Christian heritage.
- Established
- 1995
- Patron
- St. Maron (4th-century Syriac ascetic monk, founder of the Maronite monastic tradition, died c. 410 AD)
- Rector
- Rev. Raymond Khallouf
- Diocese
- Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn (Maronite Catholic); also within the territorial Diocese of St. Augustine (Latin Rite)
Why belong here
St. Maron offers something rare in northeast Florida: a fully Maronite-rite Catholic community where Syriac and Arabic liturgical traditions, the ancient Anaphora of the Twelve Apostles, and Lebanese Christian heritage are kept alive in each Sunday Liturgy. A smaller, family-sized mission parish means members know each other by name, and the parish supports faith formation and First Communion preparation for children, weekly weekday Masses, and Eucharistic Adoration on Thursday evenings. For Maronite faithful who have moved to Jacksonville from other parts of the U.S. or Lebanon, or for any Catholic who wants to experience the Eastern Catholic tradition, St. Maron is a warm, faith-filled home.
Mass times at Saint Maron [Maronite]
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Eucharistic Adoration)
Our Parish
St. Maron Maronite Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic mission parish serving the Lebanese-American and Maronite faithful of Jacksonville and northeast Florida. It belongs to the Maronite Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn while falling within the territorial boundaries of the Roman Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine.
History
The local community began in 1995 with the first Maronite liturgy celebrated at San Jose Catholic Church, led by visiting Maronite priests as attendance grew. By 1996, Rev. Joseph Akiki had been assigned as the parish's first resident pastor and services had moved to Christ the King Catholic Church in Arlington. The 7032 Bowden Road property was acquired in June 1997, the small house renovated into a rectory, and a 5,000-square-foot church hall dedicated in April 2001 under Fr. Elie Abi-Chedid. A new 310-seat sanctuary was completed on the same campus in 2011.
- 1995 – First Maronite liturgy celebrated in Jacksonville at San Jose Catholic Church
- 1996 – Rev. Joseph Akiki assigned as first resident pastor
- 1997 – Bowden Road property purchased for $130,000
- 2001 – 5,000 sq ft church hall dedicated
- 2011 – New 6,038 sq ft, 310-seat sanctuary built
Clergy & Staff
The parish is currently led by Rev. Raymond Khallouf, who is listed by the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn as the assigned pastor at Saint Maron Church, 7032 Bowden Road, Jacksonville. Fr. Khallouf is also the registered agent and treasurer on the parish's Florida corporate filings.
- Rev. Raymond Khallouf — Pastor
Maronite Heritage
Maronites are members of one of the Syriac Eastern Catholic Churches, with a heritage going back to St. Maron, a 4th-century ascetic monk and contemporary of St. John Chrysostom who lived as a hermit on the Orontes River. After his death in about 410 AD his followers built a monastery in his memory and formed the nucleus of what is today the Maronite Church. The community has maintained communion with the See of Rome since 1182 and is currently led globally by the Patriarch of Antioch and his Synod of Bishops.
- St. Maron — 4th century anchorite and patron (feast February 9)
- John Maron — first Maronite Patriarch, elected late 7th century
- Communion with Rome affirmed publicly in 1182
- The Syriac Maronite Church is centered in Lebanon and present worldwide through the Maronite diaspora
Religious Education & Sacraments
St. Maron runs a Religious Education program for parish children, with registration currently open for the 2025-2026 year. Preparation for First Communion is offered as part of this program. Families complete the parish registration form and email it back to the parish office to enroll.
- 2025-2026 Religious Education program — registration open
- First Communion preparation
- Registration forms emailed to [email protected]
Parish Life & Events
The parish keeps an up-to-date calendar of events and activities on its website and welcomes visitors to bring family and friends along to liturgies and gatherings. The combination church/social hall next to the sanctuary continues to host both religious and community events for the Maronite faithful.
- Parish events and activities listed on stmaronjax.com
- Family-friendly community gatherings after Sunday Liturgy
Visit, Contact & Directions
St. Maron Maronite Catholic Church is located at 7032 Bowden Road, Jacksonville, FL 32216, on the city's Southside. The parish office can be reached by phone at (904) 448-0203 or by email at [email protected]. Mailing the completed religious education registration form to the same email is the fastest way to enroll children in faith formation.
- 7032 Bowden Road, Jacksonville, FL 32216
- Phone: (904) 448-0203
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: stmaronjax.com
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph Akiki1996
First resident pastor of St. Maron Jacksonville, assigned as the Maronite community grew out of the 1995 liturgies at San Jose Catholic Church.
- Rev. Elie Abi-Chedid2001–2011 (approx.)
Led the parish through the dedication of the original church hall in 2001 and the groundbreaking and construction of the new 310-seat sanctuary in 2011.
- Rev. Raymond Khalloufpresent
Current pastor; listed on the parish's diocesan listing and the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn's clergy roster.