Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral (Houston) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral |
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| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Eastern Orthodoxy |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Byzantine |
| Years built | 1950-1952 |
The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral is a very important church in Houston, Texas. It is the main spiritual home for the largest Eastern Orthodox community in the city. You can find it in the Montrose and Neartown areas.
This beautiful church was built between 1950 and 1952 by the Greek community of Houston. For a few years, from 1967 to 1974, it was the main church for the Bishop of the 8th Diocesan District of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America. The church offers many activities and services. It is also home to the Annunciation Orthodox School.
The church is named after the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. It celebrates its special feast day on March 25th each year. It is part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, specifically the Metropolis of Denver.
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What Does the Church Look Like?
The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral was designed in a Byzantine Revival style. This means it looks like old Byzantine churches, often with domes. It is a single-aisle basilica with a dome and a transept (a part that crosses the main church area).
Inside, there's a special screen called an iconostasis. This screen separates the main seating area (the nave) from the altar. It holds many beautiful icons that came from the first church building from 1917.
A Look Back: History of the Church
The First Church Building
The very first Orthodox church in Houston was built in 1917. It was located on Walker Street in what is now Downtown Houston. This original building was made of wood. In its early days, most of the church services were held in the Greek language.
Moving to a New Home
By 1950, the church needed to move. The city was doing construction, and the church community had grown too big for the old building. A new church was built on Yoakum Street in the Neartown area. This new building could hold about 475 people. The construction was finished in 1952.
Next to the church, a community hall was built. It was named after S.P. Martel, a longtime member of the church. This hall is still used by the community today.
Becoming a Cathedral
In 1960, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America created special districts. This was to better serve Greek Orthodox followers across the country. Houston became part of the 8th Archdiocesan District. At first, the bishop for this district was in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Then, in 1967, the bishop's main office for District 8 moved to Houston. Bishop Iakovos of Catania came to Houston and made the Annunciation Church his new cathedral. At that time, the diocese included many states in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain region. Some of the larger church communities were in Dallas, Denver, and Salt Lake City.
Celebrating Greek Culture
In 1967, the church celebrated its 50th anniversary with a "Greek night." The next year, they started an annual Greek Festival. This festival celebrates Greek culture, food, and Orthodox life. In 1970, the church also started the Annunciation Orthodox School. It offered classes for students from kindergarten through 8th grade.
Changes in Leadership
In 1972, a new bishop, Bishop John of Thermon, was assigned to Houston. However, in 1974, Bishop John moved the main office of the diocese to Denver, Colorado. It has been there ever since. Even though the main office moved, the church in Houston is still called a cathedral. This is a common tradition for many church groups.
A Bigger Church Building
The current cathedral building, which can hold over 900 people, opened on September 30, 2018. This expanded church cost $12,500,000 to build.
The Church Today
Today, the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral holds two main services, called the Divine Liturgy, every Sunday morning. One service is in English, and the other is a mix of Greek and English. Before these services, there are morning prayers. Afterward, everyone gathers for a fellowship coffee hour. Sunday Church School for kids follows the first service.
As of 2018, most of the church services are held in English.
Learning Greek Language and Culture
The church also runs a Language & Cultural School. This school teaches Greek language and culture to people of all ages. Classes are held every weekday afternoon and evening.
Community Activities and Groups
Annunciation Cathedral has many different groups and activities. These include:
- The Ladies Philoptochos Society, which helps those in need.
- The Cathedral Choir, which sings during services.
- GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth of America) for teenagers.
- FAITH, HOPE, and JOY groups for younger children.
- PAREA for young adults.
- AGOSS, a group for singles.
- A Sea-Scouts chapter of the Boy Scouts of America is also supported by the cathedral.
Other groups meet regularly for things like marriage preparation and grief support. The church also helps many charities in Houston and across the country. These charities assist people who are poor, sick, or in trouble. Volunteers from the church also help Greek-speaking patients at the Texas Medical Center. They visit patients and prepare food for those who cannot do it themselves.
Houston Greek Festival
The Houston Greek Festival started in 1967. It began as a "Greek Night" to celebrate the church's 50th anniversary. This fun festival is held every year on the first weekend in October, starting on Thursday.
The festival features:
- Delicious Greek food.
- Live Greek music.
- Exciting Greek folk dances.
- A gift shop.
- Tours of the beautiful cathedral.
The festival takes place on the church grounds on Yoakum Boulevard in the Neartown area of Houston.
Money raised from the Greek Festival goes to various charities. These include groups like the Children's Assessment Center, S.E.A.R.C.H., and the Star of Hope Mission. The Annunciation congregation now calls its October event "The Original Greek Festival." This helps people know it's different from another similar event held by St. Basil the Great Greek Orthodox Church.
Annunciation Orthodox School
The Annunciation Orthodox School (AOS) is a school for students from kindergarten through 8th grade. It is located right on the church property. As of 2018, the school had over 690 students. It is an important part of the church's community work.
The AOS School first opened in 1970. It added one grade level each year for a while. The middle school program started in 1992.
The main school building is very large, with about 64,000 square feet of space. It opened in 2002. The Katherine E. Veletsos Lower School building, which is for kindergarten through 4th grade, opened in 1993. The Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones Early Childhood Development Center opened in 1988.
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