Parish Timeline

1930–1936: Incorporation of the Russian Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas. Services held at Riggs Place, NW.

1936–1951: Services held at 1768 Church Street, NW in Washington, DC.

1951: Current location purchased.

1955: Basement of church completed.

1961–1962: St. Nicholas upper structure built upon existing foundation. Based on the Cathedral of St. Dimitry in Vladimir, Russia, it was designed by Anatoly Abramov-Neratoff, a specialist in Russian medieval church architecture.

1963: Consecration of church. Formally dedicated as the National War Memorial Shrine.

1965: Monthly English services begin.

1970: Orthodox Church in America officially granted autocephaly.

1971: Both English and Slavonic services held.

1978: St. Nicholas becomes Primatial Cathedral for Orthodox Church in America.

1980: Bishop Basil (Rodzianko) first to be consecrated at St. Nicholas.

1988: Belltower built to honor a millennium of Christianity in Russia and dedicated to St. Prince Vladimir and the baptism of Rus in 988.

1991–1994: A team of Russian iconographers design and execute iconography in the Russo-Byzantine style of the 12th century. Their work was completed in time for the official celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of Orthodoxy in America.

St. Nicholas Clergy

1930–1937: The Reverend John Dorosh

1937–1977: Archpriest Paul T. Lutov

1952–1986: Archpriest Arkady Moiseyev

1969–2008: Archpriest Dmitry Grigorieff

1985–2011: Archpriest Constantine White

2012–2026: Archpriest George Kokhno

2002–present: Archpriest Valery Shemchuk

2026–present: Archpriest David Bozeman

2026–present: Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino

Photo: Tim Markatos