On the day of the 60th anniversary of the repose of St. John, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco, on July 2, 2026, the Orthodox community of compatriots solemnly celebrated the festive date in the church of St. Nicholas of Myra in Shanghai (China).
The Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Church was celebrated by Priest John Shchelokov, who celebrates the 10th anniversary of his priestly ordination on this day. The provision of the temple building for worship by the Shanghai city authorities in coordination with the Shanghai Office of Religious Affairs is a good sign of friendly relations between the peoples of Russia and China, as well as a practical development of the agreements discussed during the eighth meeting of the Russian-Chinese group on contacts and cooperation in the religious sphere in Beijing.
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St. Nicholas Church was built in Shanghai in 1932-1934 on the initiative and at the expense of Russian immigrants. In 1956, it was transferred to the Chinese Autonomous Orthodox Church. It was closed during the "cultural revolution" and later was not used for its original purpose (it housed a warehouse, a restaurant, and a bookstore). The building is currently under the protection of the Shanghai Municipality as an architectural monument. Since 2010, the Shanghai authorities have been providing temple facilities to the Orthodox community of Shanghai for worship on significant holidays.