Saints Peter and Paul Mission in Tucson, Arizona was established in 1997 by Father John Bockman, who had served as a missionary priest in Tennesee and Massachusetts since 1990. Father John tirelessly served the faithful in southern Arizona from his and Presbytera Valerie's home chapel until his repose in November 2000. Thereafter, Presbytera Valerie continued to provide her home chapel for the Mission, served by Metropolitan Moses and the clergy of St. Nectarios Orthodox Church in Seattle.

On 3 March 2003, with the blessing of Metropolitan Moses, the Mission acquired its own facility at 1415 East Broadway, Tucson’s main east-west arterial boulevard, just a mile and a half from downtown Tucson and only five blocks from the University of Arizona. God has indeed blessed the mission with an ideal location. The church building is a 1928 “fortress” of stuccoed brick construction on a foundation of volcanic stone, with new plumbing, wiring, high capacity heating/cooling, and an almost-new roof in excellent condition. Originally a duplex, the building had been remodeled for offices, and was further modified by the removal of a wall between two large rooms to create the chapel. The facility also has a small kitchen, a Trapeza, a 3/4 bath, an office, a gift shop, and a parking area behind the building.

Since the repose of Father John, the Mission has had no resident priest. We are served periodically by Metropolitan Moses and Bishop Sergios. May God some day grant us the blessing of a resident priest.

Reader Vespers are scheduled every Saturday night at 6:00, and Hours and Typika every Sunday morning at 9:00 (Great Vespers, and Hours and Divine Liturgy when we are visited by clergy).

In late 2005, on the fifth anniversary of Fr. John's repose, the Mission published a 320-page collection of Fr. John’s homilies entitled MANNA, which contains 61 Sunday gospel sermons from Holy Pascha through Entrance Sunday, topical homilies, and homilies on selected saints (St. Nectarios Press).

The Mission maintains The Struggler web site with back issues of The Struggler – www.struggler.org. Fr. John and Presbytera Valerie began publication of The Struggler in 1990, which Presbytera Valerie continued for another three years following Fr. John’s repose.

With the blessings of Metropolitan Moses and Bishop Sergios, the Mission, in cooperation with St. Gregory of Sinai Monastery, sponsors the "IkonTour," an annual iconography tour with guide/lecturer Fr. Patrick Doolan.

The Mission supplements its income with a virtual Gift Shop, which offers icon ornaments, classic children's toys, eggs, dolls, jewelry, and other unique gift items.

Donations for the Mission may be sent to: