Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral is the spiritual home of the largest Eastern Orthodox parish in Houston, Texas

Houston, Texas

Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...

. Built in 1950-52 by the Greek

Greeks

The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....

 community of Houston. From 1967 to 1974, the church was the seat of the Bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

 of the 8th Diocesan District of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, headquartered in New York City, is an eparchy of the Church of Constantinople. Its current primate is Archbishop Demetrios of America.-About the Archdiocese:...

. The church provides a variety of ministries and services and houses a number of organizations. It is named for the Annunciation

Annunciation

The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...

 of the Virgin Mary and celebrates its feast day on March 25.

Architecture

The cathedral was designed in a Byzantine Revival style and is a single-aisle undomed basilica

Basilica

The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...

 with a transept

Transept

For the periodical go to The Transept.A transept is a transverse section, of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In Christian churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform building in Romanesque and Gothic Christian church architecture...

. The iconostasis

Iconostasis

In Eastern Christianity an iconostasis is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a church. Iconostasis also refers to a portable icon stand that can be placed anywhere within a church...

 which divides the nave

Nave

In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...

 and the altar holds many of the icons from the original 1917 church.

History

The first Orthodox church in Houston was built in 1917 on Walker Street in the downtown area. In 1950, the church had to move due to city construction and because the parish had outgrown its old building. A new church was built on Yoakum Street in the Neartown

Neartown Houston

Neartown is an area located in west-central Houston, Texas, United States and is one of the city's major cultural areas. Neartown is roughly bounded by U.S. Highway 59 to the south, Allen Parkway to the north, Bagby Street on the east, and Shepherd Drive to the west...

 area. The church was completed in 1952. A community hall named for longtime parishioner S.P. Martel was built next door to the church and still serves the community.

In 1960, the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America created Archdiocesan districts to better serve the Greek Orthodox faithful throughout the country and Houston was assigned to the 8th Archdiocesan District which was served by a bishop in New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...

. In 1967. the seat of the bishop for district 8 was moved to Houston, and Bishop Iakovos of Catania arrived in Houston and consecrated Annuciation Church as his new Cathedral

Cathedral

A cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...

. At that time, the diocese

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

 included most of the states in the Great Plains and Rocky Mountain region and larger parishes in Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, New Orleans, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, Shreveport and Tulsa. The Dean of the Cathedral was Fr. Nicholas Triantafilou, who served as priest in Houston from 1965-1991.

In 1967, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Church of the Annunciation, the community hosted a "Greek night." The following year saw the institution of an annual Greek Festival

Houston Greek Festival

Houston Greek Festival was started in 1966 by the members of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral as a "Greek Night". The three day festival is held annually on the first weekend in October and features Greek food, live Greek music and Greek folk dances, as well as a gift shop and tours of the...

 to celebrate Greek culture, food and Orthodox life. In 1970, the parish founded the Annunciation Orthodox School

Annunciation Orthodox School

Annunciation Orthodox School, or AOS, is a private school located in Houston, Texas, United States, established in 1970.Annunciation Orthodox School began as a ministry of Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral. Over the years it has grown from one early childhood class to a school averaging 670...

 with classes for students from kindergarten through 8th grade.

In 1972, a new bishop was assigned to Houston: Bishop John of Thermon, who was consecrated a bishop in Houston. In 1974, Bishop John moved the see of the Diocese to Denver, Colorado where it has remained ever since. The church in Houston continues to be called a cathedral, however, consistent with the longstanding tradition of many denominations.

The parish today

There are two celebrations of the Divine Liturgy (one in English and the other in Greek

Greek language

Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...

 and English) each Sunday morning, preceded by Orthros or Matins (morning prayers) and followed by a fellowship coffee hour, with Sunday Church School following the first Liturgy.

The parish operates a Language & Cultural School which provides Greek language and cultural education for all ages every weekday afternoon and evening.

Annunciation Cathedral hosts a variety of ministries. These include the Ladies Philoptochos Society; the Cathedral Choir; GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth of America); FAITH, HOPE and JOY groups (for young children); PAREA (young adults); AGOSS (singles group). A chapter of Sea-Scouts of the Boy Scouts of America

Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...

 is sponsored by the Cathedral. Other ministries, which meet on a regular basis, include marriage preparation and a grief-support group. Through its Philoptochos Society and other organizations, the Cathedral contributes to charitable organizations in the Houston area and nationwide. These charities include both religious and non-religious agencies which help the poor, the sick and those who are in distress. In addition, volunteers from the Cathedral assist by translating for Greek-speaking international patients in the Texas Medical Center

Texas Medical Center

The Texas Medical Center is the largest medical center in the world with one of the highest densities of clinical facilities for patient care, basic science, and translational research...

, visiting with patients and preparing food for those who can't do that for themselves.