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 | England |
| 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 is a special Greek Orthodox Church located in Salford, Greater Manchester. It was finished in 1861 and built in a classical style. This church is the oldest building in England made specifically to be a Greek Orthodox church. Since 1980, it has been a Grade II listed building, which means it's protected because of its important history and design.
The church holds regular services on Sundays. It also acts as a central place for about 2,500 Greek people living in Manchester. Many of these are Greek Cypriots, British Cypriots, and Greek students.
A building next to the church is used as a Greek community school. Over 100 students learn about the culture of Greece, history of Greece, and the Greek language there. This church hall is also used to celebrate important events in the Eastern Orthodox Church, like Easter and Christmas.
Contents
Discovering the Church's Design
The church building is on Bury New Road (A56) in Broughton, Salford. It was designed by architects Clegg & Knowles. They also designed many large commercial buildings in Manchester. The first stone for the Church of the Annunciation was laid in 1860. The building was completed a year later in 1861. It was built in a classical basilica style.
Artworks Inside the Church
The icons on the iconostasis were painted by Theodoros Vryzakis. He was a famous Greek artist from the 19th century. His paintings are also shown in the National Art Gallery in Athens, Greece. A guide to buildings in Lancashire says the carvings in the church are "uncommonly well done." It also describes the main building as "elegant, powerful and purposeful." This shows how wealthy the Greek community was in the 1800s.
Changes to the Building Over Time
The church was first built with a domed ceiling. It had a large painting of Christ Pantocrator by C. D. Duval from 1870. But this dome was replaced with a pitched roof in 1962. This happened after dry rot damaged the original ceiling.
The front of the church is made of special stone called ashlar. It has a three-part Corinthian order portico with decorative modillions. The sides of the church have Corinthian pilasters. These are like flat columns. The windows have pediments, which are triangular tops. The original rounded back part of the building, called an apse, is still there.
From 2009 onwards, the church had renovations. These repairs included the stainless steel roof, slating, lintels, and masonry. The funding for this work came from English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund. The church building was first officially listed by Historic England on January 18, 1980. This was because of its special architectural or historic interest. An annexe was built to hold the school and serve as a church hall.
Church Leaders and Management
The Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation is part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. This archdiocese is under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Manchester community is currently served by The Reverend Presbyter Demetrios Kontelides. He took over from Archimandrite Nicolaos Sergakis.
Past Priests of the Community
Many priests have served the Greek community in Manchester since the 1800s. One very important priest was Protopresbyter Konstantinos Kallinikos. He served from 1904 until he passed away in 1940. Kallinikos received a special title, Grand Oikonomos, from the Patriarch of Constantinople. He also received an honorary doctorate in Theology from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He was even given the Order of the Redeemer by George I of Greece for his services.
History of Manchester's Greek Community
The Greek community in Manchester began in the early 1800s. Many of the first people came from the Aegean island of Chios. They fled after the Chios massacre and Turkish oppression during the Greek War of Independence. Many of these early immigrants were traders.
Finding a Place to Worship
In April 1843, the community decided they needed a Greek place of worship in Manchester. From 1843 to 1860, they used temporary churches. These included places on Waterloo Road in Strangeways, on Cheetham Hill Road, and a chapel on Wellington Street. The Greek and Cypriot community in Manchester was growing. This meant they needed a more permanent home for their church. So, they bought land in Broughton, and building work started in 1860.
Growth of the Community
From the 1950s to the 1970s, the community grew even more. 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 in Manchester. This is part of the total of 340,000 Greek people living in the UK. 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 for the occasion.
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.
