Click here for photo album!

We invite everyone to the Spiritual Conversations with Father Valery.

Day, time and topic will be announced.
During isolation, the meeting is held online,

the Skype link: https://join.skype.com/xtydi34xLuNn
#РусскийХрамМонреаль

With the blessing of the director of the parish school of A.S. Pushkin, His Eminence Archbishop Gabriel, the new academic year 2020-2021 will begin on September 12th, 2020.
The school will work in accordance with the sanitary and hygienic requirements that are mandatory for all educational institutions.
In order to know the number of students and plan our work, we invite you to register for the new academic year.
Please fill out the form and send it to the email address: info@pushkin-school.org 
Respectfully, school Administration.

Dear Parishioners!

Our on-line registration system is now ready to be used and can be accessed via our parish website. The system can be used to register for St Nicholas, Rawdon and Lachine parishes.

We continue to ask for your patience during this period of start up. As our capacity restrictions have not changed, we would also ask that you keep in mind we have many parishioners that would like to attend a divine service. In addition, there will be many who do not have access to a computer and if you know of them do help them out or have them call me directly.

Archpriest George Lagodich: 514-945-4369

revgeorgelagodich@sympatico.ca 

When registering please indicate the total number of people including children.

Our Seniors Sixty five years and older, and Young members with ages up until seven.

1)  We are planning to organize separate liturgies which will be restricted to those 65 years and older. Please stay tuned for dates and times. You do not have to wait for these and can attend as you wish.
2)  For families with young children, you will have an additional option. Due to capacity restraints it

may not be possible to attend on a regular basis. To allow your children to partake of Holy

Communion as often as possible you will be able to stand outside in front of the church and wait

until the end of the divine liturgy. At that time, you will be able to enter as a family or one by one

for your children to commune of the Most Precious Divine Mysteries. While outside the church you

must continue to maintain social distancing, but a face mask will be optional until you enter the building.
Finally as I had mentioned above we are starting up, please look out for regular communcations. Thank you and God Bless

Father George

Dear Parishioners of St Nicholas Cathedral!

This upcoming Sunday June 28th our beloved Cathedral will once again open its doors to the public albeit in a limited capacity restricting the number of people attending at any one divine service. You can be assured that our efforts are focussed on being as efficient as possible with your personal safety being a top priority. Gradually, as we move forward the number of people permitted to attend at any one time will increase from 25 to a total of 75. Initially we will begin with the weekends but very quickly services will start to be celebrated during the week for important Saints and major feast days.

There will be several rules and guidelines that will be followed so as to fully comply with Government regulations. An operating protocol is in place to insure we stay open in the event of a second wave of the virus. What may seem excessive at this point will go a long way to make sure we achieve this most important objective. A plan with multiple phases has been developed to gradually return our parish life to normal. Separate communications in the near future will be provided.

The key points are:

1) To enter the church building a face mask is required which must be kept on at all times; 2) Social distancing, which is maintaining a two meter distance is absolutely mandatory, the

only exception will be for families living under the same roof.
3) All persons who wish to attend any scheduled service must be registered, ideally in advance.

We absolutely must respect our capacity limits. You can register on-line, or by emailing or calling Father George. This procedure will go a long way to help avoid any disappointments at the door of the church. The registration will help in the event of infection to quickly advise others who were in attendance at that time. This is mandatory.

4) Washroom facilities will be modified and a maximum of two people or a family can enter at any one time. We will have somebody on duty monitoring compliance.

There will be two divine liturgies served every Sunday during the hot summer months; one at 7;30am in the Main Cathedral and the second at 9:30am in the Parish Hall which is Air Conditioned. This is being done for two reasons; to maximize the amount of people that can attend services and to provide a safe environment for those who may find it difficult wearing a face mask in the high heat and humidity.
What to expect:

1) Once you have registered and arrive at the church you will be greeted at the front entrance where you will be asked several screening questions related to your health condition. So as to avoid any disappointment at the door you should not come to church if you have any of the following symptoms:

a. Fever, chills, cough, runny nose or nasal congestion, shortness of breath, muscle aches, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of smell or taste.

2)  Then you will have to sanitize your hands using the disinfectant provided.
3)  You will be able to purchase candles as usual.
4)  We ask that you do not venerate icons by kissing them.
5)  At end of the liturgy the cross will not be offered for veneration but you will be given antidirion

by the priest who will be wearing gloves for your protection.
6)  At the end of the service you should immediately exit as directed by those on duty. Those

attending services in the parish hall will exit by the doors as indicated. We ask that you respect this so as to allow those on duty to begin disinfecting procedures which take approximately one and half hours to complete.
Our Seniors Sixty five years and older, and Young members with ages up until seven.

1)  We are planning to organize separate liturgies which will be restricted to those 65 years and older. Please stay tuned for dates and times.
2)  For families with young children, you will have an additional option. Due to capacity restraints it may not be possible to attend on a regular basis. To allow your children to partake of Holy Communion as often as possible you will be able to stand outside in front of the church and wait until the end of the divine liturgy. At that time, you will be able to enter as a family or one by one for your children to commune of the Most Precious Divine Mysteries. While outside the church you must continue to maintain social distancing, but a face mask will be optional until you enter the building.
Hearing of Confessions:

1) These will only be heard, without exception before the beginning of the divine liturgy. Gradually our priests will also be able to hear confession during the evening services. You can also make an appointment to meet a priest or you can call by telephone.

Panahidas, Molebens, Baptisms and Weddings:

1) We request that you speak directly with one of our priests to make arrangements. It will not be possible to serve these after the divine liturgy at this point in time.

We thank you for your continued patience and prayerful support.

Cathedral clergy.

Download announcement in PDF (Rus/Eng/Fr)

Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, parishioners of St. Nicholas Cathedral!
By the grace of God, the doors of our Cathedral, which were closed by order of the civil
authorities so as to protect us from the destructive infection, are gradually beginning to open.
The dangerous disease, which could at any moment affect us and our loved ones, is receding.
This is truly good news. But this does not mean that there is no danger at all. Moreover, we
have been warned that the disease could regain strength. That is why it is vital that we take the
necessary precautions that would allow us to reduce the danger as much as possible. The
instructions developed by the authorities with the assistance of doctors must be adapted to the
conditions of our church building. This important task was carried out by our clergy with the
assiduous and selfless support of volunteers from among our parishioners. We take this
opportunity to call on them God’s blessings and thank them for their labours, without which it
would be impossible to cope with the difficult task of preparing the cathedral for the start of
public services.
We repeat - this is only the beginning, and before we can return to the usual order of services
in the Cathedral, some time might pass. Exactly how much - we have no way of knowing at this
time. The rules that we must follow have already been prepared, and you will know them well
in advance. Both the security of our presence in the church building and the hope that public
services will continue, even with a possible new wave of the pandemic in Montreal, depend
directly on their observance.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, each one of us will have to have a little more patience. Let us
recall the words of the venerable Leo Okhtinsky: “With God's help, let us decide, as much as
possible, to persevere and to ask the Most Compassionate and Almighty Lord, with thanksgiving
and praise, that He in His omnipotence may grant you the patience to endure all troubles. And I
can firmly assure you that if you humbly accept this trial, then the All-Merciful Lord will reward
you greatly!”
“By your patience possess (i.e. save) your souls” (Luke 21:19).
With love in the Lord,
Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada
Rector of St. Nicholas Cathedral

Download announcement in PDF (Rus/Eng/Fr)

Dear Parishioners of Saint Nicholas,

Vladyka Gabriel has blessed us to write you this short note. The short answer to what is on everybody’s minds is that: “Yes we have been given permission to open up our cathedral”. The Government has very specifically worded their announcement that only those parishes that have established protocols in place will be allowed to open.

We have a protocol for opening and for a sustained operation which is currently being finalized as details are being released to us from the relevant authorities. We will be ready but are asking for just a little bit more patience as we work through this very difficult but most important process.

In the interim we are seeking volunteers for many important tasks that will need to be completed in advance of opening and more importantly to keep our church doors open.

Please let us know by email at revgeorgelagodich@sympatico.ca

Examples of opening tasks: 

-Moving candle and icon stands.
-Make sure that the chairs are placed at the proper distance.  
 

Examples of on-going tasks:

-Greeting those entering the church.
-Ensuring that people maintain social distancing.
-Ensuring that people wash their hands as they walk into the church.
-Disinfection procedures.

Many thanks in advance and God Bless!

Cathedral Clergy.

Many thanks to the Myrrh-Bearing Women!

Please Click Here to learn more about the story (PDF Russian/English/French).

Please Click Here to view photo album #1 from previous celebration.

Please Click Here to view photo album #2 from previous celebration.

Please Click Here to listen audio file.

Christ is Risen!

Please Click Here to see photos from yesterday’s visit to the Russian Orthodox Cemetery in Rawdon. Despite the difficult times and restrictions regarding gatherings (it should be noted that everybody remained on the perimeter whilst the panahida was served) we served a panahida for all those reposed at the cemetery which included family and friends reposed in the Lord. As is traditional all of the reposed were prayed for by name. At the end of the panahida during the singing of Memory Eternal all of the graves were visited and one could quietly hear Father George greeting each resting spot with the Paschal greeting, “Christ is Risen”.

To the clergy and God-saved flock of the Diocese of Canada
Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ!

CHRIST IS RISEN!

With all my heart I greet you with the Feast of Feasts, the Glorious Resurrection of Christ,
and pray for each of you to be granted Paschal joy, peace and wellbeing.
Of all the feasts celebrated by the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church, the most joyous,
most triumphant is the Feast of the Pascha of the Lord, the Unconquerable Victory over the
powers of hell and death. So that we all, after Christ’s Resurrection, set our trust in our own
resurrection, and life everlasting. And “trust”, as St John of Tobolsk puts it, “is higher than
hope, it transcends hope”.

This year, however, our Easter joy is inseparably linked with the “godly sorrow”, as St
Paul says in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians: “For godly sorrow works repentance unto
salvation” (2 Cor 7:10).

By order of the civil authorities all public worship in our churches is temporarily
suspended. We follow this order, since, if we were to break it, we would, besides running the
danger of falling victim to the illness ourselves, risk becoming an unwitting cause of
meaningless death of our kinsfolk – may God preserve us from this! We ourselves are doing
all we can to stop the pestilence from entering the homes of our parishioners. But this does not
mean the services in the churches of our Diocese have ceased. They are continuing, but only
the clergy who celebrate them are allowed in (not more than two celebrants in some
provinces). Through God’s providence, many people are able to follow these on the internet,
and thus, in these difficult circumstances, are given a chance to create house Churches in their
homes. Therefore, beloved brothers and sisters, do keep in mind the words of Our Risen Lord
Jesus Christ: go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who
is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly (Mt 6:6).

At this time it would be good to speak of miraculous events which took place in the
island of Corfu long time ago. The black plague that was raging in neighbouring Italy and
other countries of Europe, reached Corfu in 1629. The terrible news spread quickly across the
island. Despite strict quarantine, the number of people stricken with the disease grew. Then
the Orthodox, having assembled in the church of St Spyridon, prayed for the deliverance from
the cruel pestilence. And the plague retreated. By Palm Sunday of 1630 the epidemic has
ceased completely, while elsewhere in Europe thousands were still dying from the disease.
On the same day of the Feast of the Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem a solemn procession
went through the streets in gratitude for the miracle wrought by the Supreme Physician of our
souls and bodies through the prayers of the Holy Hierarch Spyridon.

Let us implore Our Risen Lord to be swiftly delivered from this cruel pestilence,
remembering the words of St John of Kronstadt: “Wars, illnesses and other calamities are but
medicines in the hands of most merciful Heavenly Father… When the Lord strikes you with
sore affliction, or sickness, or misfortune, then be assured that He will also truly send you
consolation, and will afterwards bestow upon you the grace of peace, strength, and joy
corresponding to your previous sufferings. For ‘the Lord is full of compassion and mercy,
long-suffering, and of great goodness. He will not always be wrathful… He hath not dealt with
us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our wickednesses’ (Ps 102:8-11)”.

Dear brothers and sisters! May Our Risen Lord grant us all, in our present condition, to
celebrate this Glorious Feast in good health and spiritual joy.
“Let Thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have set our hope on Thee” (Ps 32:22).
Christ is Risen indeed!

GABRIEL
Archbishop of Montreal and Canada
Christ’s Pascha, 2020

Link To Original Epistle on mcdiocese.com

This year’s Holy Pascha divine services will be celebrated as we have throughout most of the Lenten period, behind closed doors.

Please join us using the video streaming service on our YouTube channel, or via our parish website.

We will however be blessing your Easter Baskets according to the schedule below. All of you should have Holy Water in your households.  During the appointed times the presiding priest will read the blessing prayer. At the end of the prayer the priest will thrice intone the blessing using the brush in his hands dipped in Holy Water. At each time you at your home should sprinkle Holy Water upon your Easter Baskets.

As is the tradition in our parish following the divine liturgy on Great Saturday morning, we will also bless bread and wine. The blessing will follow in the same manner as with Easter Baskets.

God Bless and a blessed Pascha Feast to all!

Blessing of Bread & Wine: Great Saturday morning immediately following the end of divine liturgy.

Blessing of Easter Baskets:

1st Blessing – Great Saturday morning following divine liturgy at approximately 12:00 noon.

2nd Blessing – Easter Sunday morning following the matins service at approximately 1:00am.

3rd Blessing – Easter Sunday morning following the divine liturgy at approximately 2:30am.

Note: Please choose one of the blessing times.

Our Dear parishioners!

Once again recent circumstances compel us to write that which is so difficult for us. We understand and share your feelings regarding being as close to the church as possible. We must this time use more forceful language to ask that you do not congregate around the church premises! We cannot let anybody into the building and will not make any sort of  exceptions.

This may cause dissatisfaction and suspicion of those who live next to our cathedral, and we could be accused of violating the quarantine rules established by the city authorities. As a result, the police could deprive us of the right to worship in the church, even in the current setup (no more than two people).

Ask yourself the question, “do I wish to be the cause of our church being closed off depriving Paschal services for all?”. We are most sure that your answer will be no.

Many thanks!

Cathedral clergy.

To our God Loving Parishioners of St Nicholas Cathedral!

Once again we turn to you regarding an age-old tradition where Church-wide collections are made on Palm Sunday to benefit the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem. This year in particular is most important, in this year of 2020 in light of the closure of all the monasteries in the Holy Land to pilgrims due to the COVOID-19 virus.

We appeal to you during this weekend to continue to show the generosity of our parish in this wonderful act of love and charity. Every monetary offering – big or small- is vital.

Here’s how to Donate:

1. Via check, please mail directly to the Cathedral Address: Please indicate on your check: "Palm Sunday Holy Land"

St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral

422 St Joseph Blvd West

Montreal, QC H2V 2P5

2. Via our website using your credit card: www.stnicholasmontreal.com

Please select “Palm Sunday - Collection for Jerusalem Mission”.

With Love in Christ!

Cathedral Clergy.

Therefore, the schedule of services has changed! 
- Services in Laсhine are canceled in April. 
- Blessing of the Easter baskets not take place in the usual manner.

Our clergy is working on an option for blessing of the baskets. We will notify shortly.
 - The children's Easter procession on Bright Saturday has been canceled. 
- The divine liturgy in Rawdon on St Thomas Sunday is canceled.
- The annual Luncheon of the myrrh-bearing women, the sisterhood's feast is canceled.

With the blessing of His Eminence, Archbishop Gabriel of Montreal and Canada, Rector of St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral

Appeal to our God Loving Parishioners of St. Nicholas Cathedral!

Great Lent and the days prior to Pascha are traditionally the busiest periods of our church calendar. At this time of the year multitudes of worshipers gather in our cathedral to renew their spiritual lives, to receive the Holy Sacraments and rejoice in the Lord.

The Government Authorities have decreed that we not gather in groups larger than two people and we will adhere to these requirements.

During these difficult times, please be advised that our parish clergy will continue to serve the services, but, unfortunately, behind locked doors. Only one priest and one choir member are permitted at the services. Please be assured that our clergy are commemorating all of your family altar books (pomyaniki) and all of the Lenten Commemoration slips and cards that you submitted at these services. Special prayers are being read for all doctors, nurses, healthcare workers and first responders who are on the frontline of this pandemic, selflessly caring for the numerous ill people, at risk to themselves and their families. May their Guardian Angels protect them and their families.  Should you know of somebody on the frontline please contact Father George Lagodich directly who is coordinating this effort (514 945 4369).

Be assured that we are praying as well for all the parishioners, relatives and friends of St. Nicholas’s parish. If you have a particular need, prayer request or panihida, you can write or call any one of our parish clergy or leave a general message at: Clergy phone numbers and email below.   

You can also request to have candle(s) put up during any particular service by writing or calling our clergy. Candle payments can be made via our website and accessing the donate button which will lead you to CanadaHelps.org website where you can use your credit card. Please select the payment for candles.

The inability to have worshipers in church for the services means that the economic welfare of the parish is being severely hurt. We still need to pay the utility bills for our church building, make our monthly mortgage payments to the bank, make needed repairs, tend to the grounds, continue payments for property and liability insurance, and much more. Collection of parish dues, sale of candles and other donations make it possible to pay our bills and keep our property in good order.

We are fervently reaching out to our faithful at this critical time to do their part and help the parish – our common treasure – to fulfill its God-appointed mission. Please continue to support our parish with your donations. Every monetary offering – big or small – is vital.

Here’s how:

To Donate:

1. Via cheque, please mail directly to the Cathedral Address:

St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral

422, St Joseph Blvd. West, Montreal, QC H2V 2P5

2. Via our website using your credit card or Paypal: www.stnicholasmontreal.com (CanadaHelps.org)

Cathedral Clergy:

Very Rev George Lagodich, Tel: 514 945 4369 (revgeorgelagodich@sympatico.ca)

Very Rev Valeriy Chemskii, Tel: 514 452 8523 (Valer3020@mail.ru)

Very Rev Nicholas Perekrestov, Tel: 514 820 4960 (revnikolai@gmail.com)

Very Rev Michael Metni, Tel: 514 293 9095 (mmetni@ciot.com)

God Bless!

Our dear parishioners!

These days, we all strive to be as close to our church as possible. We share your feelings, but, unfortunately, we are compelled to ask all of you to refrain from such an understandable desire to be physically close to the sacred walls of our cathedral in order to cross ourselves under its dome. This may cause dissatisfaction and suspicion of those who live next to our cathedral, and we could be accused of violating the quarantine rules established by the city authorities. As a result, the police could deprive us of the right to worship in the church, even in the current setup (no more than two people).

If you have any questions for us, please call any of the clergy. None of your appeals will go unanswered.

Archpriest George Lagodich - 514-945-4369

Archpriest Valery Chemsky - 514-452-8523

Hegumen Nikolay (Perekrestov) - 514-820-4960

Archpriest Michael Metni - 514-293-9095

Priesthood and clergy of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Montreal, Quebec.

The address of the Archbishop of Montreal and Canada Gabriel

can be downloaded here

(PDF file English/French)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
In light of the present situation with the coronavirus pandemic, the local authorities have forbidden all gatherings of any sort within our cathedral!  We will be complying fully! 

Services will continue to be held but restricted to clergy only behind closed doors.  Please do not try to gain access during these times which will serve to make the best of this difficult situation.

We ask that you inform any of our parishioners that do not have access to the internet!

We are working very hard to organize good quality live broadcasts of these services. 

At this time you can follow us on Facebook at St-Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral. 

https://www. facebook.com/pages/category/ Religious-Organization/St- Nicholas-Russian-Orthodox- Cathedral-220772394997386/ 
Coming soon will be live streaming via a link which will be made available.
Glory be to God for everything!

Please click here for PDF file (Russian/English languages) 

Under the circumstances we are living presently

with the Coronavirus pandemic,

the Annual General assembly is postponed to a
undetermined date!

Please click here for FLYER (PDF multiple language)

Please click here for AGENDA (PDF multiple language)

Do not miss the chance!

From June 27th to July 13th, 2020,

A group of young people from the Russian Church Abroad and a group of youth from the St. Petersburg and Tikhvin Dioceses will join in volunteer work at an ancient Russian Monastery in Northern Russia.

The deadline to register is March 1st, 2020!

You may contact our parish's Archpriest George Lagodich for details.

Please click here for more information!

The pilgrimage to the Holy Land

for parishioners of the Canadian Diocese
will take place from

MAY 15th - 30th, 2020!

Parishioners interested in joining the pilgrimage

are asked to contact
Peter Antonoff (Toronto)
Mobile telephone: 416-407-1102

E-mail: pantonoff@rogers.com

Please click here!

As of January 19th, 2020 - HOUSE BLESSING WITH HOLY WATER FROM THEOPHANY!
If you wish your house to be blessed with Holy water by one of our priests,

please register yourself at the candle stand in church or leave a phone message

at 514-276-8322

Sunday, January 12th, 2020 at 1:00pm
EVERYONE IS INVITED TO THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT 
PRESENTED BY THE CHILDREN OF THE PARISH SCHOOL FOLLOWING LITURGY!