Table of Contents
How can I be kept informed?
The latest information is published in our weekly bulletin. If you do not receive the bulletin but would like to receive it, please contact [email protected].
What services are there in the church?
All services can be found in the Schedule of Services on our website.
On Saturdays, there is a memorial service (panichida) at 5pm. At 5.30pm, it is followed by the All-night vigil.
On Sundays and major feasts, there is a Divine Liturgy (Eucharist) at 10am.
On the eve of major feasts, there often is an All-night vigil at 7pm. See the Schedule of Services on our website.
During Great Lent and Holy Week, there are special services. See the Schedule of Services on our website.
During the All-night vigil there is an opportunity for confessions. This is also possible before the Divine Liturgy, from 9:30 until the reading of the Gospel.
The church is open during services. Outside the services, the church is generally closed.
Is confession possible?
The sacrament of confession is reserved for Orthodox Christians. The best time to come to confession is during the All-night vigil. Confession is also possible before the Liturgy from 9:30, until the reading of the Gospel. However, Sunday mornings are very busy; there is a risk that you may not make it in time.
You can also contact one of the priests to make a confession appointment. Their e-mail addresses can be found on the page ‘contact’.
Is there Communion in the church?
The most important service in the Orthodox Church is the Eucharist, the Divine Liturgy. Participation in Communion is reserved for members of the Orthodox Church who have prepared. Please contact the parish clergy with any questions about this.
Those unable to come to church may be visited by a priest to receive Holy Communion at home. Please email the secretariat to make an appointment.
Can I ask for intercession for the living or deceased?
During the preparation of the Divine Liturgy, prayers are offered for the living and deceased. Fragments are taken from small offering loaves (‘prosphora’) while their names are read and then placed next to the Eucharistic bread. In the hall you find papers (diptychs) on which you can fill in names (living and dead separately, only baptismal names); you can hand these in at the candle table and order a prosphora. This is possible until the reading of the Gospel; at that point the commemoration ends. Names of those not baptised are entered on a separate diptych with ‘not baptised’ added.
Every Saturday at 17:00 there is a service for the departed, the panichida. It is possible to fill in names (first names only) of deceased people on a diptych and give it to the priest.
Can my child be baptised?
If at least one of the parents is Orthodox, their child can be baptised (with the consent of the non-Orthodox parent). This involves preparation. More information can be found here.
Can I get married in the Orthodox Church?
For Orthodox Christians, it is possible to have the sacrament of marriage (crowning) in our church. Church marriages between Orthodox Christians and Christians from other denominations are possible in certain cases, with the blessing of the metropolitan. A church marriage is preceded by a preparation. More information can be found on the page ‘Baptism and marriage’.
Can I become an Orthodox Christian?
It is possible to join the Orthodox Church. Christians baptised in other denominations can be received into Orthodoxy, others are baptised. Becoming an Orthodox Christian is a serious decision that requires time and thorough preparation. It must be a conscious choice to follow Jesus Christ and lead a Christian life as it is lived in the Orthodox Church. It also means becoming part of a community; one cannot be an ‘individual Christian’. As a rule, catechumens attend church services for at least one year. They prepare through reading and conversations with a priest. The latter determines whether and when baptism or reception into Orthodoxy can take place. There is no standard time frame for this.
More information on baptism (with a reading list) can be found on the ‘Baptism and marriage’ page.
Where can I buy candles?
You can buy candles at the candle table. The candles are made in the parish by volunteers. We also sell hand-painted candles.
How can I support the church?
Donations to the church can be made contactless at the candle table near the entrance. You can also transfer a donation to our church account: IBAN: NL25 INGB 0004 1636 83, in the name of Orthodox Parish H. Nikolaas (Amsterdam), stating ‘donation’.
You can also use the QR-code on the ‘donations’ page of our website. Donations can be made directly from any Dutch bank account.
You can also support us in other ways. Our parish relies on volunteers. Please contact the secretariat about this.
Contact information
Please contact the secretariat with any questions: [email protected].
Our telephone number is +31 6 27368675. If no answer, please leave a text or voice message. The contact details of the priests can be found on the page “contact”.
