About St. Paul Melkite Mission
Who we are
St. Paul Melkite Greek Catholic Mission is a small Eastern Catholic community in El Segundo, California. We belong to the Melkite Eparchy of Newton, the diocese for Melkite Catholics in the United States, and we are in full communion with the Bishop of Rome. Our roots are in Antioch, where the followers of Jesus were first called Christians, and many of our families trace their history to Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Egypt. Many others found the Byzantine liturgy as adults and stayed.
We celebrate the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom (on select days, St. Basil the Great) every Sunday at 8:45 a.m. The liturgy is sung in English, with a few hymns in English, Greek, and Arabic. We welcome all visitors to come and experience the beauty of the Eastern Christian traditions.
Our pastor
Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Alexei Smith was born and raised in the Hyde Park area of Los Angeles, CA, and attended local Catholic elementary and secondary schools. Awarded a Master of Divinity Degree, with High Distinction, in 1987, he was ordained a Greek Catholic Priest of the Eparchy of Newton, MA, that same year.
Read the full biography.Who are the Melkites?
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is one of the Eastern Catholic Churches. It keeps the Byzantine liturgy and theology of the Christian East and has been in full communion with Rome since 1724.
Read more about the Melkite Church and what it means for Roman Catholics.What people say
I came to St. Paul’s more than 15 years ago, initially just curious about what an Eastern Catholic liturgy was like. I had been attending another parish on the Westside, but as soon as I walked into St. Paul’s, I knew I had found a new home. The beauty of the liturgy, its reverence, and the ancient hymns and chants immediately captivated me. Father Alexei’s sermons are always carefully constructed and rich in the Church’s traditions and writings of the saints. As a small parish, St. Paul’s community embraced and welcomed me, and I have been coming here ever since.