Diocese: Diocese of Alaska
Deanery: Anchorage Deanery
Mailing address:
Saint Nicholas Orthodox Church at Eklutna Historical Park
C/O Diocese of Sitka & Alaska
PO BOX 230108
Anchorage, AK 99523
Office: 907-688-6026
Parish Contacts
Wasilla, AK 99623-1148
Directions
From Anchorage
Take the Glenn Highway to Eklutna and turn West (left) after the off ramp; go less than .25 mile and the church is on the left.
Schedule of Services
See the calendar page at St. Juvenaly Orthodox Church in Wasilla for scheduled services.
Parish Background
The mission to the region began in the 1830s when members of the Dena’ina tribe in Knick began converting to Russian Orthodoxy. In 1897, Chief Wasilla (Vasily) moved his people and the Old Church from Knick to the current location, marking what we consider the be the founding of Orthodox Christianity in Anchorage and the Mat-Su Valley.
In 1958, the parish hosted a visit from then Vice-President Richard Nixon.
In 1962, Chief Mike (Maxim) Alex built the new church and in 1971, he also led a restoration of the Old Church.
in 2011 the congregation, who mostly lived in the Palmer/Wasilla area, was fused with the Saint Lazarus Mission in Palmer and became part of Saint Juvenaly and his Companion Orthodox Mission in Wasilla, Alaska.
While there is no active congregation at Saint Nicholas today, Russian Orthodox Sacred Sites in Alaska (https://rossialaska.org/) is currently leading a ground up restoration and preservation of the old church and the Diocese holds annual Liturgies on Saint Nicholas Day and for Radonitsa (the Second Tuesday after Pascha). The diocese hopes to reestablish a regular congregation and arrange for the gift shop to be open year around to share the story of Saint Nicholas, Eklutna and the Spirit Houses in the cemetery.