Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Manchester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Manchester |
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Greek: Ιερός Ναός Ευαγγελισμού της Θεοτόκου
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The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation in Salford, Greater Manchester is the oldest purpose-built Greek Orthodox Church in England
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| 53°30′23″N 2°15′37″W / 53.506386°N 2.2602526°W | |
| OS grid reference | SD 82842 01112 |
| Location | Bury New Road Salford, Greater Manchester M7 4EY |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Greek Orthodox Church |
| History | |
| Founded | October 1861 |
| Consecrated | 1861 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II Listed building |
| Designated | 1980 |
| Architect(s) | Clegg & Knowles |
| Style | Classical architecture |
| Groundbreaking | 1860 |
| Completed | 1861 |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain |
The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation, Manchester (Greek: Ιερός Ναός Ευαγγελισμού της Θεοτόκου) is a special Greek Orthodox church located in Salford, Greater Manchester. It was finished in 1861 and built in a classical style, which means it looks like ancient Greek and Roman buildings. This church is super important because it's the oldest church in England built just for Greek Orthodox worship.
Since 1980, it has been a Grade II listed building. This means it's officially recognized for its "special architectural or historic interest," like a protected landmark. As of 2017, the church holds services every Sunday. It also acts as a central place for about 2,500 people from the Greek diaspora (Greeks living outside Greece). Many of these are Greek Cypriots, British Cypriots, and Greek students living in Manchester.
A special building next to the church, called a church hall, is used for a Greek community school. Over 100 students learn about the culture of Greece, history of Greece, and the Greek language there. The church hall is also a place where the community celebrates important events from the calendar of saints and the church year. These include big holidays like Easter and Christmas, along with other traditions of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
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Cool Facts About the Church Building
The church is on Bury New Road (A56) in Broughton, Salford. It was designed by architects named Clegg & Knowles. They also designed many large commercial buildings in Manchester. The first stone for the Church of the Annunciation was placed in 1860. The whole building was finished just one year later in 1861. It was built like a classical basilica, which is a long building with rows of columns.
The beautiful icons you see on the iconostasis (a screen covered with icons) were painted by Theodoros Vryzakis. He was a very important artist in 19th-century Greek art. His work can also be seen in the National Art Gallery in Athens, Greece. A famous guide to buildings, the Pevsner Architectural Guide, says the carvings inside the church are "uncommonly well done." It also describes the main building as:
A demonstration of the wealth of the 19th century Greek community. Elegant, powerful and purposeful, making a great show.
Changes Over Time
When the church was first built, it had a domed ceiling. There was also a large mural (a wall painting) of Christ Pantocrator painted by C. D. Duval in 1870. But in 1962, this ceiling had to be replaced with a pitched roof because of dry rot.
The front of the church is made of special stone called channelled ashlar. It has a three-part Corinthian order portico (a porch with columns) with fancy decorations. The sides of the church have Corinthian pilasters (flat columns attached to the wall) and windows with pediments (triangular tops). The original rounded back part of the building, called a polygonal apse, is still there.
From 2009 onwards, the church got some important updates. Its stainless steel roof, slating, lintels (beams over windows), leadwork, and masonry (stone work) were all repaired. This work was paid for by English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The church building was first officially listed by Historic England on January 18, 1980. It's protected under a law called the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. An annexe (an extra building) was added around January 2017. This building is used for the school and as a church hall for other events.
Who Leads the Church?
The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation is part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. This larger group is part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, which is a very important part of the Orthodox Christian world. As of 2017, the church in Manchester is led by The Reverend Presbyter Demetrios Kontelides. He took over from Archimandrite Nicolaos Sergakis.
Many priests (called παπάς in Greek) have served the Greek community in Manchester since the 1800s. One of the most famous was Protopresbyter (Archpriest) Konstantinos Kallinikos (Κωνσταντίνος Καλλίνικος). He served from 1904 until he passed away in 1940. Kallinikos received a special title called Grand Oikonomos (Μέγας Οικονόμος) from the Patriarch of Constantinople. He also got an honorary doctorate in Theology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. King George I of Greece even gave him the Order of the Redeemer for all his hard work.
A Look at Manchester's Greek Community
- Further information: Greeks in the United Kingdom
The Greek community in Manchester began in the early 1800s. Many of the first people to arrive were from the Aegean island of Chios. They came after a terrible event called the Chios massacre. A lot of these early immigrants were traders who sold mastic (a plant resin). They were escaping harsh rule during the Greek War of Independence. In April 1843, the community decided they needed a Greek place of worship in Manchester.
From 1843 to 1860, the Greek community used temporary churches for their services. These included places on Waterloo Road in Strangeways, a spot on Cheetham Hill Road, and a chapel on Wellington Street. As more Greeks and Cypriots moved to Manchester, they needed a permanent church. So, they bought land in Broughton, and building work started there in 1860.
From the 1950s to the 1970s, the community grew even more. This was because more Greek-Cypriots moved to Manchester from Cyprus. Some came because of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the ongoing Cyprus dispute. As of 2009, there were about 2,500 Greeks living in Manchester. This is part of a larger group of 340,000 Greek people living in the UK, according to the 2011 UK Census. About 150 to 200 people attend Sunday services at the church in Broughton.
The church celebrated its 150th anniversary on Sunday, May 9, 2010. The Archbishop of Thyateira Gregorios (Theocharous) gave a special sermon (a speech during a service) for the occasion.
