About SS Joachim & Anna · Front Royal, Virginia
Saints Joachim and Anna is a Ukrainian Catholic mission parish (Byzantine rite) located at 1396 Linden Street in Front Royal, Virginia, serving the spiritual needs of Eastern Christians in the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Founded in 2015 and placed under the patronage of the Holy Ancestors of God, Saints Joachim and Anna in February 2017, it is a mission of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia and is served by clergy from Saint Josaphat Seminary and Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine in Washington, D.C. The community gathers for the English-language Byzantine Divine Liturgy each Sunday at 10:30 a.m. and welcomes all — regardless of ethnic heritage or ecclesial background — to worship in their newly consecrated temple.
- Established
- 2015
- Patron
- Saints Joachim and Anna (the Holy and Righteous Ancestors of God)
- Rector
- Rev. Robert J. Hitchens (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia (a mission parish of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church)
Why belong here
Saints Joachim and Anna offers a unique witness in the Shenandoah Valley: a Byzantine-rite Catholic community where the Divine Liturgy is celebrated in English and everyone is welcomed regardless of ethnic heritage or ecclesial background. The mission is small but rich in sacramental life — baptisms, chrismations, weddings, ordinations, and a full liturgical cycle of Great Feasts, Great Vespers, and weekday liturgies. Worshiping here means joining Eastern and Latin Catholics together around the heavenly patronage of the grandparents of the Blessed Virgin Mary, with clergy from the Archeparchy of Philadelphia serving the faithful of the Northern Shenandoah Valley.
Mass times at SS Joachim & Anna
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday before Divine Liturgy at 9:45 AM (in the Confession Room straight ahead through the main entrance)
- 30 minutes before weekday/evening Divine Liturgies (Wednesdays and Feast days)
Mission & History
Saints Joachim and Anna is a Ukrainian Catholic mission parish serving Eastern Christians in Virginia's Northern Shenandoah Valley. It was born on September 12, 2015, when six families and two priests first celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the chapel at Human Life International. The community grew quickly, was given its present name and patronage by Metropolitan Stefan Soroka in February 2017, weathered the COVID-19 pandemic in HLI's parking lot, and then purchased and renovated its current building on Linden Street — taking possession on November 20, 2020, the eve of the Entrance of the Mother of God into the Temple. Metropolitan Borys Gudziak solemnly consecrated the new temple on June 4, 2023.
- Founded September 12, 2015 (first Divine Liturgy)
- Named under the patronage of Saints Joachim and Anna, February 2017
- Acquired Linden Street property November 20, 2020
- Temple consecrated by Metropolitan Borys Gudziak, June 4, 2023
- Nearly 40 baptisms, many chrismations, 12+ weddings, 2 funerals, 2 minor ordinations in first ten years
Clergy & Pastoral Leadership
Because the mission is small and does not yet have a full-time resident priest, pastoral care is provided by the priests of Saint Josaphat Seminary and the Holy Family Ukrainian Catholic National Shrine in Washington, D.C. In emergencies (such as anointing of the sick or a death) the priests can be reached at (202) 262-5040.
- Rev. Robert J. Hitchens — Administrator
- Rev. Mykola Dziurakh — Parochial Vicar
- Subdeacon Kyle Hayes
- Subdeacon David Wallace
Worship & Liturgical Schedule
The community gathers for the Byzantine-rite Divine Liturgy (which fulfills the Sunday obligation for both Eastern and Latin Catholics) every Sunday morning in English. The Divine Liturgy is also celebrated on most Wednesdays and on Great Feasts, with Vespers served on selected Saturdays. Because the Byzantine calendar governs feast days and fasts, parishioners are directed to the weekly bulletin for the full schedule.
- Sunday Divine Liturgy — 10:30 AM (English)
- Wednesday Divine Liturgy — 6:00 PM (most weeks)
- Great Feasts — 6:00 PM (as announced in the bulletin)
- Reader Great Vespers — 5:00 PM on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month
Sacraments
All the standard Byzantine-rite sacraments are celebrated or arranged by the priests. Confession (the Holy Mystery of Reconciliation) is heard before every Divine Liturgy, and baptisms and marriages are arranged directly with one of the clergy. In case of hospital emergencies or death, the priests can be reached at the emergency line.
- Holy Mystery of Reconciliation (Confession) — Sunday 9:45 AM and 30 min before other liturgies
- Baptism and Chrismation — by arrangement
- Marriage (Holy Mystery of Crowning) — by arrangement
- Anointing of the Sick / pastoral emergency — (202) 262-5040
Ukraine Crisis & Outreach
The war in Ukraine has shaped the mission's public ministry since 2022. The parish joined with Calvary Episcopal Church in Front Royal for an ecumenical prayer service for Ukraine, with Father Robert and cantors from Saints Joachim and Anna singing the Panakhyda (Ukrainian memorial service for the dead) alongside the Episcopal Evensong. Through the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia the mission channels donations to the Healing of Wounds of the War in Ukraine humanitarian fund.
- Ecumenical prayer service with Calvary Episcopal Church, April 2022
- Healing of Wounds of the War in Ukraine Fund (Archeparchy of Philadelphia)
- Panakhyda for the dead offered to the Front Royal community
Visit & Contact
All are welcome to worship with Saints Joachim and Anna regardless of ethnic heritage or ecclesial ascription. The worship space is straight ahead through the main entrance, with the Confession Room directly ahead. The mission dreams of one day becoming a parish with full-time resident clergy to serve Front Royal and beyond, and invites the support of visitors and benefactors.
- Address: 1396 Linden Street, Front Royal, VA 22630
- Mailing address: c/o 201 Taylor Street NE, Washington, DC 20017
- Phone: (540) 551-3591 (parish); (202) 529-1177 x115 (office)
- Emergency line (priest): (202) 262-5040
- Email: [email protected]