August 11, 2013

10830 Downey Avenue

St. George Greek Orthodox Church
Downey, California

"Greek Orthodox Christians have lived in Downey since the 1950's and attended other Greek Orthodox Churches in the area.  In 1982 it was determined that enough families expressed an interest in establishing a Greek Orthodox Church in Downey.  The parish first worshiped in spaces rented from S. Marks Episcopal Church.... In 1995 the parish purchased the present property on Downey Avenues and renovated several vacant stores on the site into a Church and fellowship hall....(now across the street from the church). The doors of Saint George were opened on October 6, 2002...." (REF 1.) and the church was consecrated in 2010.

Storefronts used as a Church and fellowship hall

from 1995 to 2002

"Eastern Orthodox churches generally follow the same architectural formula-the form of a dome superimposed on a cross or a basilica.  Architecturally, the interior of Saint George is heavily influenced by elements found in the Creat Church Christ, commonly called Agia Sofia, in Constantinople (present day Istanbul), particularly in the sweeping arches and the dome.  Unlike non-Orthodox churches which use steeples and spires, the Byzantine roof is typically constructed with one or more domes.

Sanctuary Ceiling Dome

"The dome is a symbol of the union of heaven and earth.  The dome of St. George, influenced by the dome of Agia Sofia, is made of interlocking copper plates and is pierced by 24 windows and reminiscent of the dome of the Great Church floating on a sea of light.  The dome has an internal diameter of 30 feet, external diameter of 34 feet adn an internal height f 55 feet from the floor.  Externally, it is crowned with a cross which symbolizes the holiness and strength of Christ's Church.  The top of the cross is 60 feet from the ground." (REF 1.)

"In the dome is painted the icon of "Christ the Almighty".... Held up by six angels, the ring is called the 'glory' in Greek." (REF 2.)

"Saint George was designed by Sam Grillas and Mark Lawrence of Grillas, Pic, Roser and Alves of Irvine, California.  The floor space is approximately 10,000 square feet and has a designed seating capacity of 383 persons.

Sanctuary

"The floor of the Church is in the shape of a Greek Cross with four equal arms.  There are three separate ares of the Church proper:  The Narthex, the Nave and the Sanctuary....The Narthex is the entry vestibule of an Orthodox Church....The Nave is (where) the people gather for ...services.

"The Sanctuary, or Altar, is separated from the Nave by an Icon Screen or Iconostasion.  The Iconostasion is symbolic of the Temple Veil in the Old Testament which separated the Holy of Holies from the remainder of the Temple.  On the Iconostasion are icons which are painted according to the Orthodox Tradition.  There is a definitive scheme of placement of the chief icons on the Iconostaision. The icons on the right side are those of the Lord Jesus Christ and St. John the Baptist, the Archangel Gabriel and St. Demetrios. Those on the left are, the Virgin Mary and St. George, the Archangel Michael and Sts. Constantine and Helen.

"Behind the Holy Table is a large, wooden cross bearing an icon of the Body of Christ." (REF 1.)  "On the Apse...is the icon of the Virgin Mary.  Her arms are stretched out and the Christ Child is  enthroned within her..."More Wider than the Heavens". (REF 2.)

Left Transept of Sanctuary

"The right and left transepts contain figures of well known saints of the Orthodox church.  On the right lower transept are figures of male saints.....In the left transept (are) female saints...(REF 2.)

Right Transept of Sanctuary

"The internal beautification of Saint George began in 2005 with the commissioning of the iconographers Spiro Tsilikaras and Katerina Valchou of Athens, Greece to paint the icons for the iconostasion and the wall icons."  It was completed in 2010.  "The woodwork is hand carved by artisans in New York and Los Angeles." (REF 1.)  The Bishop's Throne in the front right of the sanctuary is an example of this work.  It is "where the presiding hierarch sits when he is present." (REF 1.)

Bishop's Throne

"The Greek Community in Downey shares its cultural, religious and ethnic hereitage with the annual Greek Festival held the first weekend of June each  year." (REF 1.)

Thank you: To Lina Ifantis, Secretary for information and a tour of the church.

Photos: Taken in June 2013 by SW.
Reference 1: "Saint George Greek Orthodox Church, A Brief Overview"
Reference 2: "Iconography 'Windows Into Heaven' " Saint George Greek 
                            Orthodox Church

*****

Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen

                                                                                     October 21, 2012

1703 North Washington
(1932 Parish Hall, on the left)

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Spokane, Washington

"We are a parish of the Metropolis of San Francisco of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, which is under the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

"The people of our parish come from America, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Eritrea, Greece, Lebanon, Romania, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine, among other places. 

"Church services are sung in English, Greek, and Slavonic." (Link 1.)

1948 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

"The original draw to the area was the railroad industry, which at the beginning employed many of the (Greek) immigrants...Before long, many... opened businesses ...in the downtown area, ...nicknamed "Little Greek Town."...These pioneers organized themselves into the Hellenic Club....Being that no Greek Orthodox Church existed here, (they) would gather in local parks to celebrate...religious holidays... By the late 20's, there was a handful of young couples who organized periodic Greek Orthodox services with priests that would visit from Portland...this devotion to the Greek Orthodox faith led to the erection of the Parish Hall in 1932...This Parish Hall gave the Greek community a kitchen and dining hall on the lower level, and  an upper level where services were held.  Today there is an auditorium (with a stage) and an office on the main level in that area.

Sanctuary in 1948 Building

"On March 28, 1948 the cornerstone laying ceremonies took place." (Link 1.) (for the new church).  The architect was Frank Toribarra and the builder was McKenna and Roberts. Father Stavros  Zanis, the parish priest at that time, urged the church to be modeled after Agia Sophia in Constantinople. ..In September, 1951 the parish's second priest, the Reverend Dianysios Assimakides, accompanied by Presvytera Anastasia,  arrived, (and) immediately began to ....complete the interior of the church...New  pews were purchased...others donated the icons which adorn the nave and the altar. 

With the arrival of the parish's third priest in 1960, Fr Nicholas Velis and his presvytera Francis, the two buildings were connected by an entry way and choir loft as well as Sunday School rooms to house the many children were completed.

"...the major icons were painted by ...Nickolas John Damascus (a congregation member)." (Link 1.) "The Pantokrator, the main icon in a Byzantine church, is that of Christ the All-powerful which dominates the assembly." (REF 2.) It is painted on the ceiling dome and can be seen in the photo above.The icons on the iconostasis (icon screen) depict the Apostles and other saints of the Greek Orthodox Church. The Ripidia are the "circular images, placed on either side of the Holy Table, (and) are inscribed with icons of the cherubim (angels)." (REF 2.) Other icons depict the saints of the church.

Left Altar Side Panel
(St. Michael in Center Panel-Link 3)

Right Altar Side Panel
(St. Gabriel in Center Panel-Link 3)

Side Wall Stained Glass Windows

The annex connecting the two church buildings was completed in 1961.  It was built by Purvix Construction Company at a negotiated price of $69,500.  The three copper crosses on top of the external domes were added later.  And the church was officially consecrated in 1974.  At this ceremony a gold key was used to unlock the doors and names of relatives were sealed in a special relic case enshrined in the Holy Altar table. (REF 1.)

1961 Annex connecting the two buildings

Front Doors of the Annex

Mosaic above the Front Doors of the Annex

The mosaic above the front doors of the annex was completed in 2002 in memory of Mary Gianetsas, an early parishioner and was done by Eleni Schumacher

Each year since 1935 Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church has  hosted a Annual Greek Dinner Festival.  This year over 2000 people came to the church for lunch or dinner during the 3 day event.  The Greek  specialties made by the women of the church include: "diples"made from cake dough rolled thin, cooked in hot fat, dipped in melted honey, and sprinkled with cinnamon and walnuts; and "dolmanthes, a meat mixture baked in cabbage leaves. The event also features a bazaar and Greek dancing demonstrations. (Link 4.) 

Thank You:To Fr. Stephen Supica for a tour of the church and reviewing this
               blog post.  To Eleni Schumucher (artist of the mosaic above the front
              doors of the annex) for church history and revisions.
Photos: Taken in 2012 by SW.
Link 1:http://www.holytrinityspokane.org/
Link 2: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church
Link 3: http://www.hellenic-art.com/sterling/saintsp.htm
Link 4: http://www.holytrinityspokane.org/festival.html

Reference 1: Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church: "from the Beginning..." An 
               Informal History of our Parish, by Mary Damascus, 1997.
Reference 2: Pamphlet Welcome to this Holy House,  Holy Trinity Greek
               Orthodox Church.

                                                                       Prayer

God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW.)