Orthodox Parish of Saint Nicholas of Myra in Amsterdam
About us
Welcome to the site of Saint Nicholas parish! We are an Orthodox Christian community in the Russian liturgical and spiritual tradition for more than 50 years. After many years with the Moscow Patriarchate, in 2022 our parish was received into the Exarchate of the Benelux of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Our diocesan bishop is Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium.
Our church is open to one and all. Feel free to come in, light a candle or just take a look around. Of course, the services are open to everyone as well. On Sundays we have hosts and hostesses to welcome visitors and show them the way.
After the Sunday service we share coffee and tea. This is the opportunity to ask questions, to visit the Information Centre to ask for information about parish activities. You can also register for the weekly bulletin or parish activities.
The church is open when there is a service. The schedule of services you can find here.
Schedule of services
Our services are alternately (mainly) in Dutch and Church Slavonic.
- The first and third Sunday of the month, the service is predominantly in Church Slavonic,
- the second and fourth in Dutch,
- if there is a fifth Sunday in the month, we also use some English
Schedule of Services
Saturday 27 December (14 December)
17:00 Panichida. 17:30 Vigil: Tone 4. 7th Gospel, John 20:1-10
Sunday 28 December (15 December)
29th Sunday after Pentecost
9.30 Hours. 10:00 Divine Liturgy: Colossians 3:4-11; Luke 14:16-24
January 2026
Saturday 3 January (21 December)
17:00 Panikhida. 17:30 Vigil: Tone 5. 8th Gospel, John 20:11-18
Sunday 4 January (22 December)
30th Sunday after Pentecost, before the Nativity of the Lord, of the Fathers
9:30 Hours. 10:00 Divine Liturgy: Hebrews 11:9-10, 17-23, 32-40; Matthew 1:1-25
Tuesday 6 January (24 December)
Eve of the Nativity of the Lord
19:00 Vigil of the Nativity: Gospel, Matthew 1:18-25
Wednesday 7 January (25 December)
The Nativity of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ (Sviatki)
9:30 Hours. 10:00 Divine Liturgy: Galatians 4:4-7; Matthew 2:1-12
Saturday 10 January (28 December)
17:00 Panikhida. 17:30 Vigil: Tone 6. 9th Gospel, John 20:19-31
Sunday 11 January (29 December)
31th Sunday after Pentecost, Sunday after the Nativity (Sviatki)
9.30 Hours. 10:00 Divine Liturgy: Galatians 1:11-19; Matthew 2:13-23 (Sunday after)
Announcements
Panikhida for Fr. Sergi
On January 6 at 6:00 p.m., there will be a panichida for Father Sergi in the church
“The other Amsterdam City Map”
At the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the City of Amsterdam, recently a web page has been developed that provides an overview of the rich religious and cultural diversity of our city. The site also mentions our church, for instance the icon of the Saints of the Low Countries.
Sunday School
The lessons in our Sunday School are for children aged 5 to 12 and take place on Sundays at the end of the Liturgy after Communion and last until approximately 12:30.
The dates are: 23 November, 21 December, 18 January 2026, 15 February, 15 March, 19 April, 10 May, 7 June 2026.
Please give your children a small snack to take with them.
On 3 August 2025, Father Oleg Karlashchuk passed away
The obituary can be read here.
Photos of Father Oleg can be found here.
Information center & bookshop
In the bookstore of our church you can find various Orthodox goods: icons, crosses, books, oil (consecrated), candlesticks, incense and coal, censers, rosaries, Orthodox calendars, etc. Volunteers working in the Orthodox Information Center can answer simple questions about the Orthodox faith and our church, or direct you to a priest.
From the Rector
Bulletin No. 351 – 9th November 2025
My dear Friends,
Today’s Gospel confronts one of the deepest forms of human alienation. It tells of a man who has lost everything that makes a person human – home, name, dignity, community. He lives among the tombs, chained and shunned, a symbol of every soul consumed by fear and fragmentation.
The Holy Gospel according to Luke 8 : 26–39:
