St. Nikolai Orthodox MissionParish InformationClergy:V. Rev. Fr. Don Freude, Mission Administrator
Contact Information:Office Phone:
330-724-7009 Contact: Cathy Krupko, Council President Phone: 330-257-0984 Fax: 330-821-8622 Address: 9837 State St. Louisville, OH 44641 email: stnikolaiorthodoxchurch@gmail.com Website: www.stnikolaiorthodoxchurch.org/home Services:Saturday Great Vespers 5:00PM
Sunday Divine Liturgy 9:30AM Wednesday Akathist 5:00PM Social Media:
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No parish history availableSt. Nikolai Orthodox Mission was founded in 2013 when a group of Orthodox families began a discussion about the need for an Orthodox Christian parish where all services are in English and people of all ethnicities are welcome. The Parish was officially established on February 17, 2013 and was accepted into the Bulgarian Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America.
The University of Mount Union opened its Dewald Chapel so that the new church could conduct Divine Liturgy on Sunday mornings. During the first summer, a local family donated their barn for use and our community worked together to convert it into a small chapel. The parishioners purchased 5 acres of farmland on State Street for construction of the new church. The Right Reverend Alexander, Bishop of Toledo and the Bulgarian Diocese of the Orthodox Church in America, blessed the property in October of 2013. St. Nikolai’s parishioners had to find a new temporary site for services in the winter of 2015. The Romanian Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Canton, under the Omophor of The Most Reverend Bishop John Michael Botean, offered the use of St. Theodore Romanian Byzantine Catholic Church in Alliance. This site was used until construction of the new church was completed. Construction of the new church on State Street began April 2015. The parishioners decided to build a chapel first, although there are plans to add a larger church and fellowship hall in the future. In just under three years, St. Nikolai Orthodox Church opened its doors with a Dedication of the Chapel service on Oct. 17 and 18, 2015. In August of 2017, St. Nikolai Orthodox Church suffered a setback when the building was vandalized and an attempt was made to burn it down. The interior of the building was significantly damage and required complete renovation. This challenge resulted in our faithful growing in its love for Christ and rededicating themselves to enduring this test. We were blessed with a generous offer from Father Nicholas Mancini and Sacred Heart of Mary Church in Harrisburg to celebrate the Divine Liturgy at their parish during the renovation process. With God’s grace and our renewed faith in our service to Him, the renovation was completed in 2018. Our humble church was officially reopened by Archbishop Alexander on June 9, 2018 followed by a celebration and catered luncheon with our dear friends at Sacred Heart of Mary. The church is named for St. Nikolai of Zica and South Canaan, who survived the Dachau concentration camp in Germany where he was imprisoned by the Nazis for his faith. Because of the communist regime in his native Serbia, he could not return to his homeland but instead came to the United States upon his release. St. Nikolai is the author of the much-read Prologue from Ochrid, which provides daily readings used by many for spiritual guidance. Today, our humble parish continues to grow and add to the faithful in Christ. We continue to welcome guests and new members to our humble home and thank God for many blessings and our Patron Saint, Nikolai of Zica and South Canaan for his intercessions before Christ. |
9837 State St.
Louisville, OH 44641
Louisville, OH 44641