Recalling a tradition of giving, St. Nikolaus stands as a testament to Munich’s rich cultural history. We are standing before what was once the Carmelite Church of St. Nicholas. Today it serves as the archive of the Archbishopric of Munich and Freising.
St. Nicholas has a long history. The tradition of St. Nicholas Day involves gift-giving. This tradition dates back to the 17th century. Children put their boots or plates out on December 5th. St. Nicholas fills them with treats overnight.
The story of St. Nicholas intertwines with the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1798, the Russian Empire established an embassy in Munich. Russian Orthodox Divine Liturgies were held for embassy staff. Later, services moved to the Salvatorkirche. Count Nikolay Adlerberg built a house church dedicated to St. Nicholas near Tegernsee. Tsar Alexander II gifted the church with an iconostasis and religious items.
In 1921, the Parish of St. Nicholas formed. It consisted mostly of immigrants. The Adlerberg family loaned the parish the iconostasis. The Parish of St. Nicholas was officially formed in 1922. Services were held on Mathildenstrasse. Father Alexander Lowtschy became a key figure in the parish.
During World War II, the parish aided prisoners of war. Alexander Schmorell, a parish member, was executed for his role in the White Rose resistance. Father Alexander heard his last confession. Allied troops liberated Munich on April 30, 1945.
In 1946, St. Nicholas leased a building near Salvatorkirche. It had been a market hall, then an American library. Damaged in the war, the church was consecrated in 1947. Metropolitan Anastasy attended. The parish still sought to build its own church.
The church returned the Denningerstrasse building in 1949. Many churchgoers left Munich in the 1950s. In 1952, St. Nicholas became a cathedral. By 1957, the city wanted the building for other uses.
After the reunification of Germany in 1990, it was discovered that unlike those of the other members of the White Rose – were nowhere to be found.
In the early 1990s, an American military base in Munich closed. The parish considered acquiring the army church. Father John Marsh, a Roman Catholic priest, supported them. The parish held intercessory Liturgies there. Brother José Muñoz-Cortes declared, “Now the church belongs to us!”
In 1993, Alexander Schmorell’s police files were found in Moscow. The files had been closed until the fall of the Soviet Union. Discussions about purchasing the American church gained new life. In December 1993, the sale was finalized. The church stands near Schmorell’s grave.
Over the years, the church transformed into an Orthodox Cathedral. The chapel retained the name of St. Nicholas. Patriarch Alexei II visited in 2007. Alexander Schmorell was glorified as a saint in 2012.
Today, as the archive of the Archbishopric, St. Nicholas holds countless stories. It connects Munich’s past with the present. Its walls echo with history. We see not just a building but a living testament to faith.