Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church is a parish in the Diocese of the Midwest of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA). It has been officially serving Joliet, IL since September 1907. Although 1907 is regarded as its founding, services had been held in various homes since 1905. Because of oppression and economic conditions in the early 1900s, many people emigrated from Europe, and it was these immigrants who formed the first St. Nicholas parish, made up primarily of Russians, Ukrainians, Greeks and Serbians. 1905 “St. Nicholas parish in Joliet was organized by Carpatho-Russians who came to work in the steel mills. One of the founders, Luke Pinchak, had been converted to Orthodoxy by Father Toth (on May, 1994, Toth was glorified as Saint Alexis of Wilkes-Barre by the Orthodox Church in America) in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He told the other settlers about the Orthodox faith and made arrangements in his home for celebration of the first Divine Liturgy by an Orthodox priest in Joliet (1905). The first Divine Liturgy is celebrated in the home of Luke Pinchak by the Rev. John Kochuroff, the builder of the present Holy Trinity Cathedral in Chicago. Father John Kochuroff (on December 1994, was glorified as Saint Fr. John by the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church) came from Chicago to celebrate the liturgy and encourage the people to organize a brotherhood and a build a small chapel. At present, St. Nicholas has over a few dozen members with many friends of the parish in attendance. We are a growing church community worshiping God — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — in the 2000+-year-old Tradition of the Apostles.· Our current organizations include the St Nicholas Ladies’ Aid and Altar Circle, along with the St Nicholas Brotherhood. Likewise, for the children a church school program is provided and lessons are held every Sunday after the Divine Liturgy. St. Nicholas parish also has an extensive library for those who wish to learn more about their religion.
