#Gauteng52, Week 37: South Africa's Only Russian Orthodox Church

2Summers | 13 September 2017
johannesburg religion churches gauteng52

Welcome to Week 37 of my #Gauteng52 challenge, for which I visit and blog about a new place in Gauteng Province every week for 52 straight weeks. This week I visit the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, in Midrand.

If you’ve driven from Pretoria to Johannesburg, you’ve probably seen it: The white church with gleaming gold domes in Midrand, easily visible from the N3 Highway. Apparently lots of people show up at the gate of the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, simply because they have glimpsed the church from the road and are overcome by curiosity.

Outside the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Sergius
The Russian Orthodox Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, built in 2003. The domes are covered in very thin gold leaf. Father Daniel, the priest, says it’s less than one kilogram of gold
altogether.

If you read my blog, then you know I love visiting churches and places of worship of all kinds. So when I got invited to visit St. Sergius as part of an event organized by the Johannesburg Russian Tea Room Group, I eagerly accepted and invited my friends Ang and Gail.

St. Sergius is the only Russian Orthodox Church in sub-Saharan Africa (the next closest one is in Egypt), and it is spectacular.

Inside St. Sergius Russian Orthodox Church

Inside the church. There are no pews, just a few chairs around the edges, because parishioners usually stand during the 90-minute services.

Ceiling in Russian Orthodox Church
That ceiling.
Detail of the ceiling at St. Sergius
Detail shot of the ceiling.
Side of the Russian Orthodox Church

The church is built in the shape of a cross. This is one of the two side areas.

Orthodox church ceiling
Another ceiling shot, this one taken from the upstairs gallery where the choir normally sits.
Father Daniel at St. Sergius
Father Daniel Lugovoi, the priest assigned to St. Sergius. Father Daniel, along with his wife and children, moved here from Russia for this assignment in 2010.
Father Daniel
I was charmed by Father Daniel.

I was fascinated by this church, as I am by all churches, and I imagine it would be even more fascinating to go during an actual service. Father Daniel says anyone is welcome at any of the services, although most of them are in Russian. (There are some English services though.) The schedule is here.

Russian Orthodox church entrance
The other side of St. Sergius.

The Russian Orthodox Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh is located at the corner of Wattle and 8th Street in Midrand. Call +27-76-565-2225 or email [email protected].

Read all of my #Gauteng52 posts and check out the interactive #Gauteng52 map.