Tucked away in a sleepy Northwest D.C. neighborhood is an unexpected sight: a golden onion dome, sitting atop the Russian Orthodox Cathedral of St. John the Baptist. Inside, walls covered with ornate icons dazzle visitors, and the smell of incense lingers from Sunday worship. The Rev. John Johnson, one of the priests at the cathedral, is perhaps equally unexpected. The 45-year-old black management consultant converted to Orthodoxy after a spiritual journey that included growing up Baptist, hitting a spiritual “rock bottom” and exploring Catholicism. He became a priest nearly five years ago after feeling a call to serve others. What drew you to Orthodoxy?
The feeling that something was lacking. I was looking for something liturgical. I was actually considering becoming Catholic, which was one of the stations on my spiritual journey. When I came to an Orthodox church and experienced the liturgy, there was a feeling of finally being home. That feeling has stayed with me. That to me is what it means to be a Christian, the feeling that I am home, even here on Earth.
