About Us

Holy Apostles is the oldest beachside church on the barrier island. It is well known for floating up the river in 1959. The community of Holy Apostles began well before the arrival of the building as a mission church in 1957. The building that presently serves Holy Apostles belonged to St. Andrew’s of Fort Pierce and was donated to the diocese for use at the new mission in Satellite Beach.

In July 1959, the building was raised up and moved onto a river barge, which was then pulled up the Indian River Intracoastal Waterway by a small tug boat. The 17 year old captain of the tug was indeed a good captain, maneuvering the 35 foot wide barge and the church, which is approximately 30 feet tall, under six bridges. Once ashore, a bulldozer was used to pull the church across telephone poles until it reached its present location in Satellite Beach.

The stained glass presently in the church is the work of Carleton Emery, a charter member of Holy Apostles. Starting in 1975, Carleton learned a glass-on-glass technique and completed the windows in time for Christmas Eve services in 1977. The centerpiece triptych window behind the altar was added a few years later as a memorial to a parishioner’s son. This too was designed and executed by Carleton.

In 1985 Holy Apostles left its mission status and became a parish.

Holy Apostles is located in Satellite Beach, Florida, serving Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Patrick Air Force Base, the adjacent unincorporated areas of central Brevard County, and the mainland cities of Melbourne and Palm Bay.