A History of St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in Hamilton
Our parish > History
Our Founding Fathers
In the early part of the 20th century, a small group of Serbs, mainly from the Krajina region of the former Yugoslavia, came to Hamilton. Those early immigrants came for economic reasons, but it would be two world wars that would bring a significant influx of Serbs to the Hamilton area. Hamilton, at that time, supported a significant manufacturing sector and was Canada’s biggest steel producer. Fortunately, many Serbs were able to find employment in the city’s steel mills and factories.
In early 1964, the growing Serbian community united to build a new church and hall. Three acres of property were purchased at the site where our church stands on Nash Road today. During that same year, on June 7th, Rev. Borko Borcic came to Hamilton as our new parish priest. During his short stay (1964-1967), this energetic priest organized the life of our church community and patiently guided the building of our new house of worship.
On June 14, 1964, the ground-breaking ceremony took place, and construction began on October 5, 1964. The church cornerstone was blessed by His Grace Rt. Rev. Bishop Stephen. The President of the Building Committee was Marko Chelar. A year later, with construction completed, the church and hall were consecrated on June 20, 1965.
Building a Church to the Glory of God
It would not be until 1980 that the church mortgage was finally paid off, a dream come true after 16 years of financial struggle and trying moments. In those years and after, it was through the generosity of pillars of our community and church groups, supported by our dedicated clergy, that our church became the glorious cathedral you see today.
Danica and Panta Vlajkov donated church bells in 1965. The Queen Mary Circle of Sisters gifted five stainless bronze, gold-plated chandeliers in 1975. In that same year, Milica Chelar and her late husband, Marko, donated the iconostasis. It was masterfully carved from walnut wood on the island of Crete. The three gilded crosses that adorn our church cupolas were donated in 1990 by Mira and Ranko Vukosavljevic.
The culmination was in 1991 with the blessing of the magnificent frescoes and icons in our church, 400 in total. An immense undertaking, the commissioned project took three years to complete.
Another Wave of Immigrants
Sadly, in 1992, war yet again would force the movement of Serbs from their homeland. Many refugees from these conflicts, as those in generations previous, would find sanctuary and a spiritual home within the community of St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Cathedral on Nash Road.
In 2004, to accommodate the needs of our ever-growing church community, the decision was made to purchase a parcel of land north of the church hall. In 2018, a design to renovate and expand our existing hall, and bring it up to modern standards, was approved by our congregation. While the site plan approvals and permits to proceed with construction were initially stalled, our Church Hall Building Committee finally obtained a clear title to all St. Nicholas lands at the end of 2024.
Looking to 60 Years and Beyond
Our parish celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2024 and, with that, a renewed commitment to ensure this parish remains rooted in faith, family and culture. With God’s grace, we will strive to ensure that St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Cathedral will remain a place to congregate, worship and grow for generations to come.
