To see photos from various Icon Bridges deliveries done over the past several years, see:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8135007@N03/sets/72157603784195469/

Icon Bridges to Mexico: A Nativity Almsgiving Project

PHARR:  Last year, after a 14 hour bus ride from the Texas border to Mexico City, Fr. Antonio Perdomo and his two teenaged daughters delivered three large boxes of icons to Orthodox Church in America Bishop ALEJO and Archbishop DMITRI during Vladika DMITRI’s annual Theophany season visit to Mexico.  The Hierarchs and Clergy in Mexico received these gifts with great joy and thanksgiving.  This year, the Perdomos hope to continue the tradition and to do even more.

“This is something that we, as Orthodox Parishes in the US can easily do to act as a bridge of support for the Orthodox Church in Mexico,” said Fr. Perdomo.

The Orthodox Churches and Missions in Mexico are challenged in several ways. First, it is difficult to access traditional Orthodox icons and liturgical supplies in Mexico, which is a largely Roman Catholic nation. Second, most mission parishes in Mexico live with financially demanding situations. Although more men are being trained, the nation as a whole has with few Orthodox clergy, and many of these must work full-time to support their missions because of the economically-challenged situation of Parishioners.

“Two years ago, when my sister and I first came with our dad to visit the Orthodox Churches in Mexico,” said University of Texas, Pan American student, Analucia Perdomo, “one of the first things my sister and I noticed was the lack of Orthodox icons in the missions we saw. It is very hard for them to find icons down there. It made us want to go home and do what we could to help out.”

After that 2005 Theophany visit to Mexico City, Fr. Antonio and his family decided to try to get the word out and encourage others here in the states to share from their abundance.  Matushka Elizabeth added, “Most parishes in the States have a closet or shelf somewhere storing older acolyte robes or unused vestments. Often, when a church is remodeled, older icons are also just put into storage. Rather than letting these things gather dust here, it’s much better to share these holy things with mission churches which very much need them.”

In addition to larger sized, traditional Orthodox icons for use in Churches, various missions in Mexico need vestments, acolyte robes, altar coverings, censors and any other objects used in liturgical services.  Since shipping and delivery to Mexico is both very expensive and extremely unreliable, Fr. Perdomo, rector of St. George’s Orthodox Church on the Mexican border in Pharr, Texas, continues to receive and hand deliver icons and liturgical supplies directly to Bishop ALEJO at the Cathedral in Mexico City.

 “If every Parish in the US decided to give the Church in Mexico a Christmas present, what a wonderful thing that would be!  And, it wouldn’t take much to do it, either.” Matushka continued, “If each Parish or Women’s Group or Church School class decided to raise money and buy just one, nice sized icon for the Church in Mexico – it would be such a blessing and would strengthen our fellowship with the Church there.” 

“Or, if everyone just cleaned out their Parish closets and shared what they have stored in there,” continued Ms. Perdomo, “that would likely benefit every Orthodox mission in the entire nation of Mexico.”   

To read more or to see photos from last year’s “Icon Bridges to Mexico” deliveries, please see:  http://www.stgeorgepantry.org/iconbridges.html   Please ship icons and liturgical items to:  Fr. Antonio Perdomo,

A “Bridge” to Help Orthodox Missions in Mexico

St. George’s Orthodox Church is located in Pharr, Texas, just miles from the Rio Grande. There are several border bridges in the area. Cross any bridge mid-way and one is in Mexico! Due to its proximity with the border, St. George’s is also a good “bridge” to our Orthodox Christian family in Mexico. On a recent mission trip to Mexico City, St. George’s Pastor, Fr. Antonio Perdomo and his two teen daughters were present when OCA Archbishop DMITRI, Exarch Bishop of Mexico, made his annual Theophany-season pastoral visit to Mexico City’s “Catedral de la Ascension del Señor.” Fr. Perdomo also visited with many of the local Orthodox Clergy and had the opportunity to tour several of the Orthodox missions in the region. One thing became apparent during these visits: most of the mission churches in Mexico are in great need of Orthodox icons.

 After returning to Texas, Fr. Perdomo decided to act as “bridge” for getting icons which are no longer needed from Orthodox Churches in the USA to missions which need them in Mexico. “Many churches receive new icons or remodel or rebuild and have extras just sitting in storage,” Fr. Perdomo said, “I would like to facilitate getting some of these to churches which need them in Mexico.” In particular, Fr. Perdomo would like to receive non-western-type icons which are 8”X10” or larger, either mounted or un-mounted, that would be suitable for use in an Orthodox chapel or mission church. “The Mexican missions have ready access to more Roman Catholic type church art, but do not have the same access to true Orthodox, Byzantine or Russian style iconographic art,” Fr. Perdomo said, “It is the presence of Orthodox icons which make a Church, no matter how small, look and “feel” like an Orthodox Parish.” 

 If you or your Parish would like to help build a “bridge” with Orthodox Mexican Missions, please ship any new or previously used icons, vestments or any other unused liturgical items to Father Antonio Perdomo, 520 W. Rosemary Ave., Pharr, Texas USA 78577.