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Schedule of Services
Services at the Cathedral are conducted in English (E) and Church Slavonic (S).
Please note that on Sundays through September 13th we will have a single Divine Liturgy.
Friday, August 28 – Feast of the Dormition with blessing of flowers (OC)
- 9:00 am – Divine Liturgy (S)
Saturday, August 29
Sunday, August 30
- 9:00 am – Divine Liturgy (E,S)
Tuesday, September 1 – Church New Year
- 9:00 am – Divine Liturgy (E,S)
Saturday, September 5
Sunday, September 6
- 9:00 am – Divine Liturgy (E,S)
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Pastoral Care
Clergy are available for spiritual care as needed. If you want to set up an appointment, please find clergy contact information below. You can find the website Pastoral Care page here.
Archpriest Alessandro Margheritino, Dean
Archpriest David Bozeman, Associate Priest
Archpriest Valery Shemchuk, Associate Priest
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Scripture Readings for August 30
1 Corinthians 16:13-24
13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love. 15 I urge you, brethren – you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the ministry of the saints –
16 that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us. 17 I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. 18 For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men. 19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 20 All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 21 The salutation with my own hand – Paul’s. 22 If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed. O Lord, come! 23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Matthew 21:33-42
33 Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. 34 Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. 35 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. 36 Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ 39
So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” 41 They said to Him, “He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.” 42 Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
| | Currently at St. Nicholas | | |
This Sunday is Potluck Sunday
The fifth Sunday of any month which has five Sundays has been designated Potluck Sunday at coffee hour, and this upcoming Sunday brings us to our third one for the year. Potlucks are always a big hit, and we are excited to see what August brings!
We hope you will consider bringing your favorite salad, dessert, main dish or side dish this Sunday, August 30.
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St. Nicholas Cathedral Library
Please check your homes, bookshelves, etc. for books that need to be returned to the Cathedral Library. Thank you!
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Sunday School Begins September 13!
We are excited to launch the new school year on Sunday, September 13 after the Divine Liturgy. Registration is now open for children ages 2 through 18; parents may register them online at this link or by paper form on the bulletin board downstairs. Questions? Email individual teachers at the addresses below, or reach the whole team at SundaySchool@stnicholasdc.org.
We are also recruiting additional teachers; email Fr. Alessandro directly if you are interested.
| | Orthodox Christian Missions Center (OCMC) News | | |
2026 Trek4Missions Campaign Faith in Action
During Great Lent of 2026, 16,000+ people in the United States converted to Orthodoxy through baptism and chrismation, mirroring similar movements to Orthodoxy that are happening in South America, Africa, Asia, and beyond.
This is an incredible demonstration of the imperative in Mark 16:15, where we are told, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to all creation.” For some, this might mean becoming a missionary; for others it might mean having a one-on-one conversation. As the pan-Orthodox Mission Center in the US, part of our role is to empower parishes and individuals to help share the Good News of Orthodoxy. Over 2/3 of the world is non-Christian. Only 25% of Orthodox parishes in the US currently support missions.
Through a blend of support, training, funding, and engagement, OCMC ministries sustain the growth of Orthodox communities where they are called to serve. OCMC trains and sends missionaries to engage effectively with the Churches, ministries, and communities they serve –– nurturing a faithful understanding of the Gospel that transcends cultural barriers. By equipping them with resources and tools they need, we ensure that the light of Orthodoxy is not only shared, but is also deeply understood and lived.
The OCMC Trek4Missions campaign brings Orthodox communities together to raise awareness of missions. Parish teams pledge their time and energy to walk, run, cycle and swim as an impetus for others to give monetary gifts to be used to send missionaries out into the world to bring Christ to the people.
Last year our parish participated in the missions campaign with a new concept, Sing4Missions. Our Cathedral choir sings for a heavy schedule of liturgical services plus sacraments of baptism, marriage, and burial. No singer can attend every service and rehearsal, although some come close. As a whole our choir pledges to rehearse and sing for all services throughout the year, applying our time and God-given talent to praise the Lord to the best of our ability and to enhance the worship in our church.
With this singers' pledge in mind, we hope you will consider giving a monetary gift to OCMC through your support to our TEAM: St. Nicholas Cathedral Singers, who will collect funds alongside parish teams from all over the country. It seems that the campaign has grown since 2025, involving more parishes creating teams this year.
Thank you for your interest and support. For questions or more information, please contact the St. Nicholas OCMC Ambassador, Andrea Lutov at lululutov@gmail.com.
| | Spiritual, Cultural, and Fun Opportunities | | |
Save the Date - Orthodox Education Day
When: Saturday, August 29, 10:00AM - 4:00PM
Where: Online
It's your chance to be a seminarian for a day—to participate in moderated discussions with St. Vladimir's Seminary scholars like our Dean Dr. Alex Tudorie, professors Fr. Bogdan Bucur, Dr. Peter Bouteneff, Dr. Michael Legaspi, and Fr Alex Rentel, and our Director of Spiritual Formation Fr. Michael Nasser. They will be joined by other notable Orthodox speakers, including hierarchs, clergy, and lay leaders: full roster to be announced soon!
Together, they will address vital topics such as Church unity and Church growth, the nature of suffering, the reception of converts, and an Orthodox Christian approach to AI. You will be able to ask questions live, and you may also submit them in advance when you register.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of this beloved St. Vladimir’s Seminary tradition: a once-a-year conversation with some of today’s most insightful Orthodox scholars!
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Youth Equipped to Serve (YES) Mission Weekend
When: Friday, September 11, 5:00PM - Saturday, September 12, 4:00PM
Where: St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, 4335 16th St. NW, WDC 20011
Ages: 13-18 from parishes throughout the DMV
This immersive two-day experience will provide youth with the opportunity to:
- Serve with purpose through hands-on projects that make a meaningful impact in the local community.
- Meet and build friendships with Orthodox youth from other parishes.
- Learn about the challenges facing vulnerable people in our communities and how they can respond with compassion.
- Participate in meaningful discussions about poverty, generosity, and what it means to live out their Orthodox faith while discovering practical ways to continue serving in their own parishes and communities long after the
Overnight Accommodations
- Overnight lodging will be provided at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church.
- Boys and girls will have separate sleeping arrangements.
- Participants should bring a sleeping bag and pillow.
The weekend will be led by the YES team, including Sarah Blevins and Wadeed Fakhoury (Local DMV Leaders). All meals, snacks, and drinks will be provided.
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Senior Retreat
When: Friday, September 18 - Sunday, September 20
Where: St. Andrew's Camp,1280 State Rte. 49, Cleveland, NY 13042
A Senior Retreat at Saint Andrew’s Camp will Focus on “Aging Gracefully.” Join us for a time of prayer, fellowship and discussion, sponsored by the Diocese of New York and New Jersey.
The retreat will feature guest speaker Dr. David C. Ford, Professor of Church History at Saint Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. The featured presentation, “Wisdom from St. John Chrysostom on Aging Gracefully,” will draw upon the teachings of Saint John Chrysostom and the Early Church to explore Christian life and the experience of aging.
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Young Adults Folk Dance Night
When: Friday, September 25, 7:00PM - 10:00PM
Where: St. Mark Orthodox Church, 7124 River Rd. Bethesda, MD 20817
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Mount Athos Tour
A group from the DC area, currently mostly from St Luke’s parish in McLean VA, is forming for a pilgrimage to Mount Athos, the Holy Mountain, 7-15 November. The pilgrimage will be led by Fr Illya Gotlinsky (OCA, rector of Dormition parish in Binghamton NY) of Orthodox Tours, with ten men of the twelve minimum needed committed as of 10 August.
More information, including a complete draft itinerary, can be obtained from Chris Little of St Luke's. Sign up soon!
| | Birthdays and Anniversaries | |
August Birthdays
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4 - Alexander Hinman
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5 - Natasha Haines
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6 - Sofia Willis
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7 - Elena Son
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10 - Fr. Alessandro Margheritino
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12 - Lisa Mikhalevsky - Milestone
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19 - Helen Evans
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19 - Matthew LaRocco
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20 - Katerina Moskovskaya
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21 - Sebastian Negrusa
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22 - Timothy Howard
August Anniversaries
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30 - Timothy Howard and Elena Zaytseva - 1996 - Milestone
September Birthdays
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2 - Lucy Plis - Milestone
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6 - Dennis Rudy
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6 - Elena Forrest
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7 - Anna Margheritino
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11 - Paul Moser
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11 - Bridget Slack
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11 - Tatiana Murashko
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23 - Marijana Barr
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23 - Alina Abaimova Andanov
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24 - Kenton Cath
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25 - Ella Stolz
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26 - Wakaha Sarah Sampei
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27 - James John Slack
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28 - Nikita Wells
September Anniversaries
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3 - Emma Streett and Ivan Plis - 2017
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24 - Matthew and Melanie Tingstrom
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29 - Alyssa and Joseph McCrea - 2013
| | Remembering Dr. Victor P. Petrov | | |
Victor Porfir'evich Petrov was born to Russian missionary parents on March 22, 1907 in Harbin, China. He was educated in Manchuria and China and began his career in the late 1920s as a newspaper reporter in Southern China after receiving a law degree from the Institute of Jurisprudence in Harbin. He also worked for an import-export company in Shanghai.
He immigrated to the United States in 1940 and settled in San Francisco, where he worked for a railway company and wrote articles for two Russian-language newspapers. During World War II, he came to Washington, DC to study at American University and by 1945 he had earned his Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees with specialties in history, geography, and international affairs.
For the next 30 years, Dr. Petrov taught Russian, geography and Oriental languages at various universities, including California State University at Los Angeles, Shippensburg State College in Pennsylvania, the Defense Department foreign language school and George Washington University in Washington, DC. Dr. Petrov’s last teaching position, from which he retired in 1976, was as a history and geography professor at the University of Victoria in British Columbia. During these years he also worked as an Assistant Program Director of the National Science Foundation.
Dr. Petrov was one of the founding members of the Congress of Russian-Americans, where he served as President of the Washington Branch. He also served on the Executive Committee of the Freedom Federation and for many years was actively involved in the American Association for the Advancement of Slavic Studies, often presenting scholarly papers on the history of Russian America and on the contributions of Russian-Americans to the United States.
Dr. Petrov wrote 35 books on a range of topics, from Sino-Soviet geopolitics to early Russian communities in the United States and China. Among his books were "The Russians in America, 18th to 19th Century," "The Russians in America, 20th Century," "The Russians in American History" and "The Saga of Fort Ross," about an early Russian settlement on California's northern coast. He wrote in Russian, English and Japanese, and he also wrote historical novels and articles on Russian geography and space programs.
In 1959, Dr. Petrov’s article “Soviet Oceanographic Studies Under IGY” was printed in the Congressional Record in support of a bill establishing a ten-year program of oceanographic research and surveys. Later, his articles on Soviet space programs were used by the Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences of the Senate.
After the fall of communism, several of his books and historical studies were published in Russia, and he had the opportunity to lecture there as well. He was elected a foreign member of the Center for Studies of Russian-America and Russian-American relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of World History.
In 1995, Dr. Petrov was honored with membership in the Congress of Russian Americans' Hall of Fame; at the time of his induction, he was only the tenth person to receive this honor. On that evening, held at the Rayburn Building of the Capitol, the invocation was given by Fr. Dmitry Grigorieff.
For those of us who were fortunate enough to have known him, his amazing life and myriad accomplishments are not the most memorable thing. Truly he was a Renaissance man, blessed with seemingly limitless talents that he never buried. But he was also one of the last “old-world gentlemen”; polite, humble, and a faithful parishioner of St. Nicholas with his wife Elizabeth and her daughter Tatiana Tontarski, a founder and tireless worker at the cathedral. He was predeceased by both but continued to attend services even when he was in his 90s and his health became frail. He was fascinating to talk to, kind, interested in all kinds of things, and a true friend.
Victor Porfir'evich died on August 18, 2000, at the age of 93. May his memory be eternal!
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Parishioner Memorial Project
Each month we hope to highlight the memory of a departed parishioner or friend of St. Nicholas Cathedral. If you have a loved one or friend that you would like to have featured, please send a short biography, including the date and year of death, with their contributions to our Cathedral life, no matter how great or small - with a digital photo if available - to Katya Haines with the words "Memory Eternal" in the subject line.
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ADDRESS
3500 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20007
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