Serbian Orthodox Church
St John the Baptist
Dapto
The home of St John the Baptist in Dapto, in the Illawarra region of New South Wales.
Welcome
This is the home of the Serbian Orthodox Church of St John the Baptist, in Dapto. We worship at 20 Dale Street, and belong to the Metropolitanate of Australia and New Zealand.
The church was consecrated in 1986, and the Serbian Orthodox parish and church community in Wollongong was established in 1961. In November 2026 the parish marks 40 years since the consecration and 65 years since its founding. The church hall hosts the pensioners' group every Tuesday and folklore, Serbian language and religious education every Friday evening, and the parish has a Circle of Serbian Sisters.
Visitors are welcome. If you would like to come to a service and are not sure what to expect, the notes below may help, and you can ask us through Facebook.
This page is also available in Serbian (Cyrillic).
Upcoming events
40 years since the consecration of our church and 65 years of the parish
Sunday, 15 November 2026, 8:30 am
Sunday 15 November 2026 at the church: welcome and prayers at 8:30 am, Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at 9 am with Metropolitan Siluan, then food and music.
Saint John the Baptist Dapto Cup
Sunday, 22 November 2026, 10:30 am
Sunday 22 November 2026 from 10:30 am at 20 Dale Street, Dapto: football and bocce tournaments, traditional food, live music and a jumping castle.
Church calendar
Sun, 15 Nov
Sunday - 40 years since the consecration of the church
Welcome and prayers at 8:30
Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at 9 am
Sat, 21 Nov
Saturday - St Archangel Michael
Blessing of slava cakes from 8:30
Liturgy at 9 am
Sat, 28 Nov
Nativity Fast begins
- Every Tuesday: Pensioners' day at the church hall
- Every Friday: Folklore, Serbian language and religious education from 6:30 pm
Full church calendarSubscribe to the calendar feedPlan your visit
Services
Service times
Service times change with the church calendar. Please phone the parish or check its Facebook page for the current times.
See the parish Facebook pageWhat to expect
The service
Services are sung, with a great deal of the worship done together. Many people light a candle when they arrive.
Language
Services are mainly in Serbian.
What to wear
Modest, tidy clothing is the custom.
Holy Communion
Communion is received by baptised Orthodox Christians who have prepared for it. Everyone else is welcome to be present.
Saint John the Baptist
We are named for Saint John the Baptist, the Forerunner of Christ. The Gospels record that he called people to repentance by the River Jordan and baptised Jesus there.
Our feast day, the slava, is the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist on 7 July, which is 24 June on the Church calendar. Recent news and notices are posted on our Facebook page.
Visit
Serbian Orthodox Church, St John the Baptist20 Dale St, Dapto NSW 2530
Everyone is welcome. The church is at 20 Dale Street, Dapto.