Parishes - Holy Trinity Cathedral - Orthodox Church in America

General Location
Holy Trinity Cathedral is located on the east side of Leavitt St between Thomas and Haddon (1 block south of Division St) and across the street from St Mary of Nazareth Hospital.

By car from the Expressway
From I-90/94 exit at Division St. Drive west to Leavitt St. Turn left and drive south 2 short blocks (passing the Cathedral) to Thomas St. Turn left on Thomas and then left into first alley. Drive straight ahead to the Cathedral parking lot.

By “L” train blue line from O'Hare (going SE) or downtown
(NW)
Exit blue line train at Division St. stop. Take #70 Division St bus west to Leavitt St. Exit bus and walk south one short block to Cathedral.

Schedule of Services

5:00 PM Vigil.
Saturday Evening

9:30 AM Divine Liturgy.
Sunday Morning

Please visit the parish website or call 773-486-6064 for more information.

Parish Background

Pre-1892
A small Orthodox community forms in Chicago consisting of Russians, Greeks, Serbs, and other Eastern Europeans. Fr (St) Alexis Toth of Minneapolis occasionally conducts services for the fledgling group.

1892
St Vladimir’s Orthodox Church, located near present-day Racine and Madison, consecrated on June 7. First permanent priest is Fr Nicholas Grinkevich, later followed by Fr Ambrose Vretta.

1895
Fr (St) John Kochurov of St Petersburg, Russia, becomes priest at St Vladimir’s. The community by this time is predominately Carpatho-Russian and Russian.

1899
Fr John Kochurov, with the blessing of Bishop (St) Tikhon, commissions architect Louis Sullivan to construct a new home for St Vladimir’s parishoners on the corner of Leavitt and Haddon.

1903
First service in new Holy Trinity Orthodox Church is held on March 25, with Bishop Tikhon in attendance. The Bishop consecrates the Church in August.

1906-1907
Bishop Tikhon and Fr John Kochurov return to Russia.

1917
Fr John Kochurov murdered by Bolshviks in Tsarskoye Selo, Russia. Bishop Tikhon is elevated as Patriarch of Russia.

1922
Holy Trinity becomes the Cathedral of the new auxiliary bishop of Chicago, Theophilus.

1925
Patriarch Tikhon dies in imprisonment in the Soviet Union.

1957
Archbishop John (Garklavs) elected to Diocese of Chicago and Minneapolis.

1978
Bishop Boris consecrated at Holy Trinity Cathedral to serve the Diocese of the Midwest.

1983
Fr Sergei Garklavs becomes priest at the Cathedral.

1989
Patriarch Tikhon is canonized a Saint in Russia.

1992
Holy Trinity celebrates its Centennial.

1993
His Grace, Bishop Job, is appointed as Bishop of the Diocese of the Midwest. Also in this year, Patriarch Alexis II of Russia serves at Holy Trinity Cathedral as part of Bicentennial of Orthodoxy in America celebrations.

1994
Fr John Kochurov is canonized a Saint in Russia.

Holy Trinity Cathedral thrives as a diverse and dedicated Orthodox community including descendants of the founders, immigrants from Eastern Europe and downstate, and converts from other faiths.