On a knoll in Alhambra, California, surrounded by trees and flowers and removed from the bustle of the San Gabriel Valley, Saint Steven's Serbian Orthodox Cathedral stands as one of the largest Orthodox churches in Los Angeles County. Organized in 1946 and dedicated in 1952, the parish was proclaimed the "Cathedral of the Pacific" by Bishop Dionisije for the beauty of its Byzantine-inspired architecture, the reach of its witness across the western states, and the richness of its liturgical and cultural life. Today, under the pastoral leadership of Father Nikola Nicholas Ceko, the cathedral continues to gather a multi-generational Orthodox community for worship, education, fellowship, and service in the Serbian Orthodox tradition.
From Garvey Avenue to the Cathedral of the Pacific
Saint Steven's was officially organized on May 14, 1946, when the Serbian Orthodox population of greater Los Angeles outgrew Saint Sava Parish. The first Board of Trustees, led by Steve P. Rados as president, moved quickly: a permanent pastor, the Very Reverend Vladimir M. Mrvichin, was appointed in September 1947 and arrived in Los Angeles on December 17, 1947. In 1948, the parish purchased five acres of property on Garvey Avenue in Alhambra, and members of the parish who worked in heavy construction brought in their own equipment to grade and level the land.
The Cathedral Choir was formed on February 15, 1948, becoming a pioneer choir on the West Coast. The Women's Auxiliary was established on July 25, 1948, and has supported every major endeavor of the parish ever since. Construction of the first chapel and social hall complex began on January 28, 1949, and was dedicated on October 9, 1949, the same day the cornerstone for the new church was laid. On October 5, 1952, Bishop Dionisije, joined by Bishop Nikolai of Zicha (now Saint Nikolai) and the Russian Bishop Anthony of Los Angeles, with many priests concelebrating, dedicated the new church to the Glory of God and proclaimed it the "Cathedral of the Pacific." On October 6, 1968, two portions of the relics of Saint Steven, the First Crowned King of Serbia, were placed in the cathedral's reliquary, ensuring that the patron saint is venerated in Alhambra as he is at his burial place in the Studenica Monastery in Serbia. The parish celebrated its 75th anniversary on October 10, 2021, marking eight decades of worship, education, and service.
A Cathedral Built on Medieval Serbian Models
Saint Steven's Cathedral is an original composition of twelfth- and thirteenth-century Byzantine and Romanesque motifs drawn from several medieval churches and monasteries of the Serbian lands, including Studenica, the King's Church on Oplenac, Sopoćani, Mileševa, and Dečani. The church is oriented toward the east in keeping with the Apostolic canon that the house of the Lord should face the sunrise, and the building is divided into the three traditional parts: the vestibule (narthex), the nave, and the sanctuary.
Three artists shaped the interior. The iconostasis, the altar screen, was magnificently painted by Paja Jovanović, one of the most celebrated modern Serbian artists, born in Vršac in 1859 and elected to the Royal Serbian Academy of Sciences in 1888. His first painting, "The Last Supper," arrived from Vienna on May 5, 1949, and by the end of June 1950, eight more works had been delivered, including depictions of Saint Steven the First Crowned King, the Archdeacon Stephen, the Most Holy Birth-Giver of God, the Archangels Gabriel and Michael, the Virgin Mary, Our Lord and Saviour, and Saint John the Baptist. The arches on the southern and northern walls of the outer aisles were painted by Marko Ivančević, who depicted the four miracles of Christ (the Wedding in Cana, Christ walking on water, the healing of the Gadarene demoniac, and the healing of the Apostle Peter's mother-in-law) and the parables of the Prodigal Son, the rich man and Lazarus, the Good Samaritan, and the Publican and the Pharisee. The major interior work, which gave the cathedral its spiritual coherence, was completed by José Rodrigo de Soto, a Spanish artist trained at the Royal Academy in Madrid, in Paris, and at the Spanish Conservatory in Rome, who devoted more than half a century to religious art.
At the heart of the sanctuary, the altar table holds the tabernacle shaped like a church building, the antimension signed by the bishop, and the reliquaries housing portions of the relics of Saint Steven (Simon the Monk) and his mother, Saint Anastasia, placed side by side as they rest in the Church of the Holy Virgin at the Studenica Monastery. The dome above is crowned by the image of Christ Pantocrator, while the four pillars beneath carry the icons of the four evangelists and the "Pillars of the Church." The bishop's cathedra stands beneath an icon of Christ the High Priest, and two large murals in the narthex depict the coronation of Saint Steven at the hands of his brother Saint Sava on the Feast of the Ascension in 1222 and the reconciliation of the brothers Steven and Vukan at the relics of their father, Simeon, brought from Mount Athos.
Saint Steven: First Crowned King of Serbia, Simon the Monk
The cathedral is named for Saint Steven (Stefan), the middle son of the Grand Župan Stefan Nemanja and Princess Anna, who ruled Serbia in the early thirteenth century as a devout, peace-loving, and wise sovereign. He protected the oppressed, fed the poor, gave abundant alms, built many churches and monasteries, and guarded the Holy Orthodox Faith from heresy. When disputes arose with his brother Vukan, his younger brother Sava, the future first Archbishop of Serbia, brought the relics of their father, the monk Simeon, from Hilandar Monastery on Mount Athos back to Serbia, and the gesture restored peace between the brothers.
On the Feast of the Ascension in 1220, Archbishop Sava crowned his brother as the First Crowned King of Serbia at the Žiča Monastery. In old age, Steven took monastic vows, was tonsured by Saint Sava with the name Simon, and entered into rest on September 24, 1224. His miracle-working body rests today alongside his father and mother at the Studenica Monastery. The two small particles of his relics entrusted to the cathedral in 1968 are venerated in the reliquary on the altar. The Krsna Slava, the Serbian Orthodox tradition of marking a family's patron saint, is observed at the cathedral each year on the Sunday closest to September 24, the feast of Saint Steven - Simon the Monk.
The Divine Liturgy, Vespers, and the Rhythm of the Week
The cathedral's regular weekly rhythm follows the traditional Orthodox cycle. On Saturday evening at 6:00 p.m., Vespers opens the liturgical week. On Sunday morning, Matins (Orthros) begins at 9:00 a.m., and the Divine Liturgy is celebrated at 10:00 a.m. Throughout most of the year, the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom is used, beginning on page 89 of the service books found in the pews; during Great Lent, the longer and more solemn Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great is offered, beginning on page 134. On Great Feast Days the Divine Liturgy is also celebrated at 10:00 a.m., while on Minor Feast Days it is celebrated at 9:00 a.m. or 9:30 a.m. Holy Communion is distributed to Orthodox Christians who have prepared through prayer, fasting, and the sacrament of Confession; non-Orthodox visitors are warmly welcomed to come forward at the end of the liturgy for a blessing, the church bread (antidoron), and a kiss of the cross.
From 9:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings outside the lenten seasons, Father Nicholas offers "Questions and Answers on the Faith" sessions for those who arrive early. Following the Divine Liturgy, children in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade attend Christian Education classes beginning at 11:15 a.m., and the entire community gathers in the Social Hall for the weekly Fellowship Luncheon at 12:00 noon, prepared by the Women's Auxiliary.
The Cathedral Choir: A West Coast Pioneer
Organized in March 1948, the Saint Steven's Cathedral Choir is one of the oldest continuously active Orthodox choirs in the western United States. Its founder and longtime director, George Milan Radakovich, had grown up serving as an altar boy alongside Father Vladimir Mrvichin in Milwaukee, where their fathers sang in the St. Sava choir. Rehearsals at first were held at the International Institute in Boyle Heights, and the choir sang in Church Slavonic, Cyrillic, Latinica, and English. The choir joined the Serbian Singing Federation of America in May 1956 and helped inaugurate new parishes by singing at the consecration of churches in Bisbee, Butte, San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento, Fresno, San Diego, and Moraga. The 1960 recording of "The Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom" was the first liturgical album produced by any Serbian organization in the United States or Canada and is held in the religious choral library at Northwestern University. The current director is Rebekah Danks, who joined the parish through the Pan-Orthodox young adult choir formed by Father Nicholas and Jonathan Braun.
Sunday School, Christian Education, and the Young Adult Fellowship
Religious education is a central pillar of parish life. Sunday School classes for children in pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade meet after Holy Communion each Sunday during the school year, from September through Pentecost. The annual Convocation at the close of August marks the new school year with the prayer for students and teachers and the introduction of the Christian Education staff. The Children's Chorus introduces young people to Orthodox Christian music, the Summer and Winter Camping Programs bring children in grades 1 through 12 together with other young people from the Western American Diocese at the Saint Sava Mission Retreat Center in Jackson, California, and in the San Gabriel Mountains, and the Youth Athletics program and Summer Day Camp round out the calendar. The Youth Group equips young people to live the Orthodox Faith through service to Christ, the Church, and the world on a daily basis. The Religious Cultural Association (originally the Parent-Teacher Association, founded in 1958) supports the Sunday School, sponsors the Winter Camp, and offers instruction in Serbian dance and music to students who maintain at least 75% attendance at the Liturgy and in the classroom.
The Young Adult Fellowship gathers men and women between the ages of 18 and 40 for monthly meetings at the cathedral and in private homes, featuring time for socializing, study of Scripture, and discussion of questions of faith. The group observes the feast of Saint Nicholai (Velimirovich) on May 3 as its slava and hosts the annual Lenten Retreat, the Hollywood Bowl Outing, and the Young Adult Picnic. Each month, the young adults prepare and serve dinner for the homeless in partnership with the Three Angels Ministry, and they serve as tutors and greeters at the cathedral on at least the first Sunday of every month. A separate College Age Ministry keeps in touch with young adults away at school, and home study fellowships, women's tea and study groups, parish and young adult book clubs, catechism classes, and discussion groups meet throughout the year.
The Senior Citizens Club, the Women's Auxiliary, and the Myrhhbearing Women
Organized on August 15, 1979, the Saint Steven's Senior Citizens Club has more than 100 active members aged 55 and older. The club meets on the first Thursday of most months for fellowship and lunch and regularly sponsors field trips and picnics. The members observe the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord as their slava with a festive luncheon. Project Compassion, a phone outreach ministry of the parish, keeps in regular contact with seniors who no longer drive or who cannot easily leave their homes.
The Women's Auxiliary, founded in 1948, brings together more than 80 wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and grandmothers who organize the regular Sunday luncheons, prepare the meals for all the holy days celebrated at the cathedral (including Badnje Vece, Savindan, Easter, Vidovdan, and Saint Steven's Day), and run the Catering Committee that prepares wedding receptions and other special occasions. The Auxiliary marks the feast of Saint Anastasia, the mother of Saint Sava and grandmother of Saint Steven, on July 5 as its slava. A second women's group, the Saint Steven's Myrhhbearing Women, visits elderly women of the parish, anointing them with the oil used during Holy Week at the Tomb of Christ and at the Festive Paschal Services during Bright Week.
The Three Angels Ministry and the Saint John the Merciful Charity
The Three Angels Ministry follows the parable of the sheep and the goats in caring for those in need: feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, taking in the stranger, clothing the naked, comforting the sick, and visiting those in prison. The Young Adult Fellowship prepares and serves a monthly dinner for the homeless through this ministry. The Saint John the Merciful Charity and Cathedral Emergency Need Program is a network of volunteers who work in conjunction with the dean to respond to the emergency needs of individuals and families, as well as communities affected by tragedy at home and abroad. Each summer the parish also partners with FOCUS North America (the Fellowship of Orthodox Christians United to Serve) to provide school supplies for students at Fremont Elementary School in Alhambra.
Pastoral Care of the Sick
The Orthodox view of healing binds body and soul together. Following the Apostle James, priests pray over the sick and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. Hospital Ministry is led by Father Nicholas and the parish office; area hospitals no longer notify the parish of inpatients, so families are encouraged to inform the priest directly of hospital stays, planned surgeries, and the need for Holy Confession, Holy Unction, or Holy Communion. The Orthodox tradition has no formal practice of "last rites." A terminally ill person may receive the sacraments, but the Church teaches that the faithful should not postpone sacramental participation until the final hours of life. The parish prayer list in the weekly bulletin is maintained by the cathedral office, and the Myrhhbearing Women extend the work of pastoral care through personal visits to elderly women of the parish.
The Annual Parish Festival: Serbfest
Each year, the parish hosts the annual Serbfest, a community festival that shares the sights, sounds, and tastes of the Balkans with the wider Southern California community. The festival features Mediterranean cuisine, cathedral tours, entertainment, dancing, carnival-style games for children, and a host of other activities. It is a celebration for the parish itself and an opportunity to reach out to the neighborhood, sharing the Orthodox Christian faith and Serbian cultural heritage with all who attend.
The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony
Marriages at the cathedral are celebrated as a sacrament of the Orthodox Church, uniting a man and a woman in a bond that the Church holds to be eternal. The wedding service combines the Service of Betrothal, in which the priest blesses the rings and the couple exchanges them on the right hands, and the Service of Crowning, in which the priest places the crowns upon their heads and leads them, right hands joined, three times around the analogion as a sign of the eternity of marriage and the way of the cross. The bride and groom hold lit candles, drink from a common cup of wine, and are accompanied by two witnesses; the First Witness, who sacramentally exchanges the rings, must be an Orthodox Christian, and the Second Witness, if not Orthodox, must be a Christian baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The Cathedral Choir may be hired to sing for weddings.
At least one member of the couple must be an Orthodox Christian who has been an active member of the parish for at least a year, and the non-Orthodox spouse, if any, must be a baptized Christian. Weddings are not celebrated during the fasting seasons or on the major feast days of the Church, and exceptions can be made only rarely, with the permission of the bishop. The bride's dress and headpiece must allow the wedding crowns to be placed properly, and shoulders should be covered. Photographs and videography are permitted but should not be conspicuous or use flash during the service. Newly married couples meet with the priest for six preparation sessions, and only members of the parish in good standing may use the cathedral's Social Hall for a reception; the Women's Auxiliary's Catering Committee is available to prepare the meal.
The Sacrament of Baptism and Chrismation
Infant baptism is the norm in the Orthodox Church, an expression of God's love for the child from the moment of birth. The baptismal service is celebrated in two parts: the Prayers at the Reception of the Catechumen (in the entrance of the church) and the Sacrament of Holy Baptism (in the nave). The godparents, who must be active Orthodox Christians, renounce the devil on the child's behalf, accept Christ, and recite the Nicene Creed. The priest then performs the triple immersion in the baptismal font in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, clothes the newly baptized in a white garment, and immediately performs the Sacrament of Chrismation with holy oil. The priest then processes with the family around the sacramental table three times, singing "As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." The child's hair is cut crosswise, and the new life in Christ is sealed in the Holy Eucharist at the Divine Liturgy.
The Orthodox Funeral
The Orthodox funeral places an entire life, and even death itself, in the context of faith in the Crucified and Risen Christ. The service, normally about an hour, is held at the church, usually at 10:00 or 11:00 a.m., and consists of verses from Psalm 119, hymns composed by Saint John of Damascus, the reading of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and John 5:24-30, and a homily and brief eulogy by the priest. Only the priest offers the homily; family members and friends who wish to share memories are invited to do so at the graveside or at the dacha, the traditional meal of blessing that follows the burial. The Women's Auxiliary, the cathedral's caterers, or another approved caterer can prepare the dacha in the parish Social Hall. In lieu of flowers, families may establish a Memorial Endowment in the name of the departed through a minimum gift of $3,500 to the Saint Steven's Endowment Fund.
Christian Stewardship and Membership
Stewardship, in the cathedral's teaching, is the care of all that God has given: soul, body, time, talents, money, relationships, and the world. Members are encouraged to set aside a percentage of their income for the church, with a tithe of ten percent offered as a small sign of love and thanksgiving. To be a member in good standing, an Orthodox Christian eighteen years of age or older must regularly participate in the worship of the Church, receive the sacraments of Confession and Communion, fulfill an annual stewardship pledge, live in accordance with the moral teachings of the Orthodox Church, and, if married, have been married within the Orthodox Church or had the marriage blessed within it. The cathedral's endowment program, established in 1972 by Steve and Helen Kral, has grown to more than 140 funds that support the ministries of the parish, education in the Orthodox Christian Faith, youth programs and scholarships, the maintenance of the cathedral facilities, and charitable outreach. Members in good standing may vote at parish meetings, serve on the Board of Trustees or Executive Board, and reserve the Social Hall for receptions.
The Orthodox Faith in the Cathedral's Teaching
The cathedral teaches that the Orthodox Church is the living manifestation of the presence of Christ in history, founded by the Lord and sustained by the Holy Spirit, preserving the fullness of the apostolic tradition as defined by the first seven ecumenical councils. The word "orthodox" means right belief and right glory. The Orthodox Church is a family of self-governing (autocephalous) churches, with the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople holding titular or honorary primacy as first among equals; unity is manifested in common faith and communion in the sacraments, with Christ Himself as the head of the Church. The cathedral is part of the Serbian Orthodox Church through the Diocese of Western America, one of the dioceses of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America.
Central to Orthodox life is the Holy Trinity: one God in three Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The doctrine of the Incarnation holds that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became truly man without ceasing to be truly God, so that humanity might be restored to fellowship with God. The Holy Scriptures are highly regarded and are read at every service, but the Orthodox Church understands the Bible as part of the larger treasury of Holy Tradition, which also includes the Eucharist, the teachings of the Fathers, the witness of the Saints, the prayers, hymns, and icons, the decisions of the seven Ecumenical Councils, the Nicene Creed, and the lived life of every local Orthodox parish. The Nicene Creed, formulated at the Councils of Nicaea in 325 and Constantinople in 381, is the authoritative expression of the fundamental beliefs of the Orthodox Church and is recited at every Divine Liturgy.
The Dean: Father Nikola Nicholas Ceko
Father Nikola Nicholas Ceko was appointed Dean of Saint Steven's Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in January 1994. Born in Chicago, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology at Iona College in 1982 and a Master of Divinity at Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in 1985, where he studied under some of the most influential teachers in the Orthodox tradition. He worked in the administration of the seminary in bookstore management from 1984 to 1986, was ordained to the holy priesthood in 1986, and married his wife, Aleksandra, the same year. They are the parents of two daughters, Andreana and Maria, and the grandparents of Katarina (born 2021) and Nadia (born 2024). Before his appointment to Alhambra, Father Nicholas served as pastor of Saints Peter and Paul Serbian Orthodox Church in South Bend, Indiana, from 1988 to 1993. He served as Secretary of the Episcopal Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North and South America from 1988 to 1994 and as Chairman of the Standing Committees and Ministries from 2003 to 2022. From 2009 to 2018, he served on the Secretariat of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America as liaison to the Committees for Liturgy, Clergy Matters, and Youth Work. He was elevated to the rank of Protopresbyter in 2000, to Protopresbyter Cross-Bearer in 2007, and was awarded the Order of Saint Sebastian in 2015. He has served as Episcopal Deputy and Chancellor of the Western American Diocese since 2016.
Visitor Information
Saint Steven's Serbian Orthodox Cathedral stands at 1621 West Garvey Avenue in Alhambra, California. The cathedral office can be reached at 626-284-9100, and the parish email is frnicholas@saintstevens.org. Sunday services are Matins at 9:00 a.m. and the Divine Liturgy at 10:00 a.m., preceded by an Orthodox Christian Studies question-and-answer session at 9:15 a.m. and followed by Christian Education classes at 11:15 a.m. and a Fellowship Luncheon at 12:00 noon in the Social Hall. Saturday Vespers are celebrated at 6:00 p.m. Upon entering the church, visitors are greeted and given a Sunday Bulletin containing the prayers and Scripture readings of the day. The Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom is normally celebrated on Sundays, beginning on page 89 of the service books in the pews; during Great Lent, the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great is used, beginning on page 134. At the end of the liturgy, all visitors are welcome to come forward for the antidoron (the blessed bread) and to venerate the cross. The Cathedral Choir sings at the liturgies, and a virtual tour of the cathedral is available on the parish YouTube channel, where services and sermon recordings are also livestreamed.