Welcome To St Nicholas Cathedral

The history of the Cathedral located in Los Angeles, California is truly a story of people of vision, courage, dedication, leadership, and religious conviction. It is the story of the needs of many Orthodox families who had settled in the greater Los Angeles area since the turn of the twentieth century. It is a story of those who had devoted their lives to the service of our community, of leaders who are no longer with us, but who shall always remain dear in our hearts because of their wisdom, love and accomplishments. Their legacy continues today.

Lenten Service Schedule

HOLY WEEK & PASCHA 2025

LAZARUS SATURDAY • APRIL 12 • سبت لعازر
Matins 9:30 AM • Divine Liturgy, 10:30 AM
Great Vespers, 6 PM • Confessions Follow

Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead shows He can raise all mankind. Please also join us for lunch after Liturgy, and help us prepare for the Feast by preparing and decorating the Lord’s house.

PALM SUNDAY • APRIL 13 • احد الشعانين

Matins, 7:30 AM
Divine Liturgy, 9:00 AM
Divine Liturgy, 11:00 AM

 

Bridegroom Matins, 6:30 PM
Confessions Follow

We celebrate the triumphant entry of our Lord into Jerusalem, to face his voluntary death. “We like the children carry the palms of victory,” in procession. Adults and children may also bring decorated candles. To accommodate the large number of worshippers, we will have two liturgies Palm Sunday morning, with Bishop Anthony presiding. Join us at either 9 am or 11 am. Both Liturgies will be celebrated in a mix of languages. There will be a procession, coffee hour and pre-holiday bake sale after each liturgy.

The Procession with the icon of Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church, takes place, and we remember the righteousness of Joseph who, like Christ, suffered unjustly with patience and was exalted.

GREAT MONDAY • APRIL 14 • الاثنين العظيم

Presanctified Liturgy, 10 AM
Bridegroom Matins, 6:30 PM
Confessions Follow

We remember the example of the ten virgins waiting for the Bridegroom.

 

GREAT TUESDAY • APRIL 15 • الثلاثاء العظيم

Presanctified Liturgy, 10 AM
Bridegroom Matins, 6:30 PM
Confessions Follow

We remember the woman who anointed the head and feet of our Lord, wiping them with her hair, in contrast with Judas and his betrayal of Christ. The Hymn of Kassiane expresses these contrasts with profound poetry and majesty.

GREAT WEDNESDAY • APRIL 16 • الاربعاء العظيم

Presanctified Liturgy, 10 AM
Sacrament of Holy Unction, 6:30 PM

We are anointed for healing of soul and body as Christ was anointed in anticipation of his burial.

GREAT THURSDAY MORNING • APRIL 17 • صباح الخميس العظيم

Matins, 9 AM
Liturgy of St. Basil, 10 AM

GREAT THURSDAY EVENING • APRIL 17 •مساء الخميس العظيم

Matins with the Twelve Passion Gospels, 6:30 PM

On this day, when Jesus first said to his disciples, “Take, eat; this is my Body,” Orthodox Christians make it a point to participate in Holy Communion. Following the Liturgy, we will perform the rite of the Footwashing with the Church School. A Communion breakfast follows.

We walk with our Lord through the Passion. A procession with the Cross commemorates Christ’s voluntary Crucifixion.

GREAT FRIDAY • APRIL 18 • الجمعة العظيمة

Royal Hours, 10 AM
Un-nailing Vespers, 3 PM

GREAT FRIDAY EVENING • APRIL 18 • مساء الجمعة العظيمة

Matins of Christ’s Funeral, 6:30 PM

We try to spend this day in Church, heeding our Lord’s words to “watch and pray.” Then help us decorate the bier (نعش). At Vespers, Christ is taken down from the Cross and placed in it. Dinner is served after Vespers.

We join Joseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus and the Myrrh-bearing Women to sing in Praise of the buried Christ, and we process with the Bier and passing under it as if joining Christ in the tomb.

GREAT SATURDAY MORNING • APRIL 19 • صباح سبت النور

Vesperal Liturgy of St. Basil, 10 AM

THE RESURRECTION • SATURDAY, APRIL 19 • القيامة

RUSH/MATINS/LITURGY, 11 PM

 

 

As we keep vigil, the Victory of Christ over death and his Resurrection ‘explode’ with throwing the leaves of victory. Please bring your children to this service. They will have an egg hunt after, too.

We receive the new Light and the Good News that “Christ is Risen.” We will bless red eggs, and you may also bring Easter Baskets to be blessed. An Agape Breakfast will follow.

AGAPE VESPERS • SUNDAY, APRIL 20 • الباعوث

Paschal Service in Spanish, 7:30 AM
Love Vespers, 1 PM

 

The Resurrection Service will be repeated early Pascha Morning in Spanish.

At the Agape (Love) Vespers, the Good News (Gospel) of the Resurrection will be proclaimed in as many languages as possible. A sign-up list will be posted during Holy Week for you to read any language you know (we might have the text available, if you don’t).

 

Typical Service Schedule
Sunday
7:45am - Divine Liturgy in Spanish
9:15am - Orthros (Matins)
10:30am - Divine Liturgy
  
Saturday
6:00pm - Great Vespers
  
Eve of Feast
6:30pm - Vesperal Divine Liturgy of the Feast

For some feasts, we serve a Vesperal Divine Liturgy on the eve of the feast.  Check our Cathedral Calendar for details.

  
Feast
9:30am - Feast Day Divine Liturgy

In most cases, we will serve Orthros along with Divine Liturgy on the morning of feast days.  Check the Cathedral calendar for current schedule and start times.

  
Today's Commemorations
Matthew the Apostle & Evangelist
Today's Scripture Readings
ST. PAUL'S FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS 4:9-16
Brethren, God has exhibited us Apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute. To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are ill-clad and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become, and are now, as the refuse of the world, the off-scouring of all things. I do not write this to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the Gospel. I urge you, then, be imitators of me.
MATTHEW 9:9-13
At that time, as Jesus passed on, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Today's Thought

"Physical passions have their origin in physical desires, and against them abstinence is necessary. But spiritual passions are born of spiritual desires, and against them, prayer is necessary.” - Venerable Nilus of Sinai


Sunday School

Sunday School began on September 21.  It's still not too late to register for the school year by clicking here.  We have developed a new curriculum for this school year under the direction of our fine Sunday School teachers and staff.

Introduction to Orthodox Faith and Practice

Join us every Thursday evening fgrom 7PM - 8:30PM from September 11 to November 13, both in person and on-line, as we work through the question, "What Do We Believe and How Do We Express It?"

Charity Ministry

We have expanded our charity ministry in cooperation with FOCUS Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.  Come volunteer every 2nd and 4th Saturday from 9AM - 12PM (check the cathedral calendar for any variations to this schedule).  See our Ministries Page for more informaiton.


St Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral
2300 W 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA  90057

Cathedral@StNicholasLA.COM
(213) 382-6269

To join our mailing list or to leave us an email, please use our contacts page. We look forward to hearing from you.