Land has been blessed for the construction of a new church dedicated to St. Xenia of St. Petersburg in the Australian state of New South Wales, marking a significant milestone for the Russian Orthodox community in the country.

The ceremony took place on February 6 in the coastal city of Tweed Heads and was reported by the website of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR). The service was led by Archbishop George of Sydney and Australia–New Zealand, concelebrated by clergy from various Australian states.

On the eve of the ceremony, a Divine Liturgy was celebrated in a temporary church in honor of the feast day of St. Xenia. The parish in Tweed Heads is headed by Archpriest Alexander Paramonov.

The construction of a permanent church building follows decades of effort by the local community. The Russian Orthodox community on the Gold Coast was established in the late 1980s and for more than 25 years had no permanent place of worship, holding services in Greek and Serbian churches. In 2013, the faithful were granted a property with a house that was converted into a temporary chapel. Since 2023, the parish has been raising funds for the construction of a full-scale church.

St. Xenia of St. Petersburg, an 18th-century Russian saint, is widely venerated among Orthodox Christians, who traditionally turn to her in prayer for help with family matters, employment, and life’s difficulties. The parish dedicated to her brings together not only immigrants from Russia but also Russian-speaking residents of Australia of different generations, including young families and students.

The Diocese of Sydney and Australia–New Zealand of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia has been active since 1946 and unites parishes across Australia and New Zealand, as well as ROCOR missions in Korea and Pakistan. Its main cathedral is Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Sydney, built in 1953.