LEESBURG, Va. (CBSDC/AP) — The Roman Catholic bishop of the Arlington Diocese is dedicating a new church in northern Virginia that has seen its congregation grow over the years.

Bishop Paul S. Loverde will be in attendance Friday in Leesburg for the dedication of St. John the Apostle Catholic Church. The parish has grown over the decades from 200 families to its present 2,500 families. The growth reflects big overall population gains in the greater Washington area.

Construction of the church began in October 2010. It was funded by the parish’s capital campaign.

St. John’s has brought in an altar from the Sacred Heart Parish in Vailsburg, NJ for the new church.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)