St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church Installed New Dome

Construction crews placed a massive dome atop the new Indianapolis church building.

Updated on Sept. 18, 2026 in Catholicism

Screen-print poster illustration of a large architectural onion dome atop a church building, set against a clear sky. — The St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church in Indianapolis successfully installed a new 50,000-pound dome, a major milestone for the decades-long project. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Workers in Indianapolis successfully lifted a 50,000-pound dome onto the new St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church. The milestone marks a significant step forward for the project, which has been in development for nearly 20 years.

Why it matters

The installation of the dome brings the congregation closer to completing a new spiritual home. The church has served the Indianapolis community since the early 1900s and currently unites members from 28 different nationalities.

The new dome measures 67 feet in height and weighs 50,000 pounds. A future cross will add another 14 feet to the structure.

The players

St. Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church

This religious institution has served its diverse Indianapolis congregation for over a century.

Midwest Diocese

This church governing body oversees parishes across the region and provided the Archbishop for the blessing ceremony.

The details

Local Indiana contractors managed the heavy lifting required to secure the dome at the intersection of 79th Street and Marsh Road. During the installation, the Archbishop of the Midwest Diocese performed a blessing for the church's bells and cross.

The church has been part of the Indianapolis community since the early 1900s.
Workers lifted the dome on September 18, 2026.
The congregation plans to begin holding services in September 2027.

Roadmap

This project follows a pattern of multi-generational church construction common among long-standing parishes. The completion of the exterior structure signals a transition from decades of planning to the final phase of building a permanent place of worship.

Residents near 79th Street and Marsh Road may see continued construction activity as interior work progresses over the next year. Members of the congregation can expect to transition to the new facility for services starting in September 2027.

The takeaway

The installation of the dome represents a major achievement for a congregation that has spent two decades preparing for this move. Maintaining a multi-national parish presence in the city highlights the importance of institutional stability for local religious groups.