Lutheran Church of St. Catherine (Saint Petersburg)

 listed building / architectural heritage, lutheran church/kirk, 1770s construction

St. Catherine's Lutheran Church is one of five Lutheran Churches in St. Petersburg, Russia. St. Catherine's is one of three ELCR churches, the other two being St. Peter and Paul Lutheran Church and St. Anne's Lutheran Church. The Russian Lutheran movement is over 430 years old and came from Sweden, Denmark and Finland to Russia approximately 32 years after Martin Luther died. In 1763, Catherine the Great brought Germans to Russia but, due to the Revolution, they had to go underground where they primarily worshipped in their homes. St. Catherine's was formed in 1728 by Lutheran traders, seamen and scientists living at Vasily Island in St. Petersburg.

The church closed in 1935 and was used as an art school, then a design office, and finally a recording studio in 1978 due to its acoustical design. In 1997, by the authority of the city, the German Evangelical Lutheran community of St. Peter and Paul was formally turned over to the congregation to use the building for worship in conjunction with its use as a recording studio. Restoration work has continued through the 1990's with work to the cross above the dome of the building, the organ, and now the restoration of the altar.

Fundraising efforts are in place to continue the restoration efforts so that a medical station and soup kitchen can open for the poor and homeless in St. Petersburg. The majority of the St. Catherine congregation is made up of seniors with a very minimal pension of approximately $20 per month. The need for medicines and medical services outweighs the need for clothing and food. The ultimate plan is to have a physician working at the station on an unpaid basis. Further projects include reconstruction of the altar that was destroyed during the Communist era, creation of a reliable heating and ventilation system, and completion of the organ restoration.