The newly formed 4th Deanery – the Southwestern Deanery – is currently composed of 10 parishes. In 2016, there was one ROCOR parish in Arizona: Holy Archangels Orthodox Church in Phoenix, founded in 2002 by Fr. John McCuen. Thanks to the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication he put into building up the Church, the new deanery brings together a growing network of Orthodox parishes and missions across the two states, including:
- All Saints of North America Orthodox Church — Sun City, Arizona
- Christ the Savior Orthodox Church — Youngtown, Arizona
- Holy Archangels Orthodox Church — Phoenix, Arizona
- Kursk Root Icon of the Theotokos Orthodox Church — Tucson, Arizona
- St. Brendan the Voyager Orthodox Mission — Bullhead City, Arizona
- St. Gregory Palamas Orthodox Mission – Sedona, Arizona
- St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church — Show Low, Arizona
- St. Joseph of Arimathea Orthodox Mission – Clovis, New Mexico
- St. Juliana of Lazarevo Orthodox Church — Santa Fe, New Mexico
- St. Photios the Great Orthodox Mission – Florence, Arizona
Additional emerging mission communities throughout Arizona and New Mexico
For years, parishes and missions in Arizona and New Mexico belonged to the Diocese’s enormous Southern Deanery, which stretches from Hawaii to Seattle, through the west coast and Southern California across the desert Southwest. The creation of a dedicated deanery recognizes how dramatically Orthodox life in the region has expanded — and positions its clergy, parishes, and missions for the next stage of growth. In Arizona and New Mexico, that mission has taken on new urgency as established parishes grow, missions take root, and increasing numbers of people encounter the Orthodox Christian faith.
