A New Chapter for Amazing Orthodox Churches

After time away, Amazing Orthodox Churches is returning with renewed purpose, regular church features, and plans for documentary films and Orthodox pilgrimages beginning in 2027.

It's been a while, hasn't it?

For those who have followed Amazing Orthodox Churches over the years, you've probably noticed that things have been a little quiet around here. Posts became less frequent, updates slowed down, and eventually, things more or less came to a stop.

But Amazing Orthodox Churches never really went away. It was always something I wanted to return to. I just needed to find the right time, and perhaps more importantly, figure out what I wanted it to become. And now, I'm ready.

How It All Began

Amazing Orthodox Churches began in January 2021, but the idea behind it goes back much further.

For years, I worked as a long-haul truck driver, traveling across the United States and spending countless hours on the road. During those travels, I had opportunities to visit Orthodox churches in different cities, each with its own history, architecture, iconography, and community.

Some were magnificent cathedrals with elaborate iconography and towering domes. Others were small parish churches tucked away in neighborhoods, quietly serving their communities.

Regardless of their size, each had a story worth telling. At a time when social media seemed increasingly filled with arguments, controversy, and negativity, I wanted to create something different. A place where people could simply appreciate the beauty of the Orthodox Church.

Not another place to argue about jurisdictions, politics, or theological controversies. Just a place to share the churches themselves, their histories, and the faith that brought them into existence.

That was the beginning of Amazing Orthodox Churches.

Over the years, I've had the privilege of sharing hundreds of Orthodox churches and monasteries from around the world. I've learned an incredible amount along the way, and I've enjoyed hearing from people who recognize their home parishes, remember churches from their childhoods, or discover places they never knew existed.

Those conversations have always been one of my favorite parts of this project.

So, Where Have I Been?

Life happened.

Over the past couple of years, I've experienced some significant changes. After more than a decade in the trucking industry, I stepped away from life on the road and began pursuing a different career.

I returned to school, completed my bachelor's degree, and continued into graduate studies. I also began working professionally with Scouting America, an organization that has been part of my life since childhood.

Along the way, there have been the usual responsibilities of being a husband, father, student, and member of the Orthodox Church.

And somewhere in the middle of all that, Amazing Orthodox Churches slipped further and further down the list of things I had time to do.

It wasn't because I stopped loving the project. Quite the opposite. I would occasionally look back through old posts, see people continuing to follow and interact with the page, and think about how much I missed doing this. But I also knew that if I was going to return, I wanted to do more than simply start posting pictures again. I wanted to give Amazing Orthodox Churches the attention it deserved.

Why I'm Coming Back

Over the past several weeks, I've spent a lot of time thinking and praying about where I want to go next. One thing kept coming back to me: Amazing Orthodox Churches.

I've always loved traveling, discovering new places, learning their histories, and sharing those experiences with others. But when those interests are connected to my Orthodox faith, they become something much more meaningful to me.

I don't simply want to show people beautiful buildings.

I want to help people understand why those buildings exist, the communities that built them, the saints commemorated within them, and the generations of Orthodox Christians who have worshipped there. I want someone who has never stepped inside an Orthodox church to see one of our posts and become curious.

I want Orthodox Christians to discover churches and monasteries they might someday visit. I also want to preserve and share the stories of parishes whose histories might otherwise remain known only to their own communities.

That's what brought me back.

And this time, I have a much clearer idea of where I want to take things.

What's Coming Next?

First and foremost, Amazing Orthodox Churches will continue doing what it has always done: sharing the beauty, history, architecture, and traditions of Eastern Orthodox churches and monasteries around the world.

Regular church features are returning, and I'm looking forward to discovering many more places to share.

But I also want to take the next step.

Beginning in 2027, my goal is to introduce longer documentary-style videos featuring Orthodox churches and monasteries, beginning here in the Pacific Northwest. Rather than simply sharing photographs and a few paragraphs of history, I want to visit these places, document their architecture and iconography, learn about their communities, and share their stories in greater detail.

I also hope to expand the website into a growing collection of church histories, photography, videos, and resources for people interested in Orthodox pilgrimage.

Eventually, I'd love for Amazing Orthodox Churches to become something I can dedicate myself to professionally, full time.

Not because I want to become an influencer, but because I genuinely love this work. I want to become, for lack of a better description, a professional pilgrim. One who also just happens to specialize themselves in media production, content creation, and religious heritage documentation.

I want to become someone who travels to Orthodox churches and monasteries, documents what he finds, and shares those experiences with people around the world. Whether that becomes possible remains to be seen. There's a great deal of work ahead, and I'm approaching it one step at a time.

A Thank You, and a New Beginning

One thing that has surprised me throughout this entire experience is that Amazing Orthodox Churches continued to grow even when I wasn't actively posting. People kept finding the page, sharing photographs, leaving comments, and following along.

That means a great deal to me.

To everyone who has followed this project over the years, suggested churches, shared posts, or simply enjoyed the photographs, thank you. And to those who are discovering Amazing Orthodox Churches for the first time, welcome!

I'm excited to return to something that has brought me so much joy, and I'm even more excited about what lies ahead.

There are thousands of Orthodox churches and monasteries around the world, each with its own story. We've barely scratched the surface.

It's good to be back.

— Ioannikios

Amazing Orthodox Churches

Follow Amazing Orthodox Churches on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube as we begin this new chapter together.