Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (Sioux City, Iowa)
Encyclopedia
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is located in Sioux City, Iowa
, United States
. Designed by noted architect William L. Steele
, the church building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
since 1998.
to attend services. Paikos K. Pappaphilipopoulos, who would Americanize his name to Peter Nelson, led the organization of a church. Their initial meeting was held at a Knights of Columbus
Hall. In 1920 they purchased property near the downtown area for $35,000. There was a house on the property that was used as the parish's first church. Father Constantinos Harvelas served as the church’s first pastor.
The cornerstone
for the present church building was laid in the spring of 1925 and the church was dedicated on October 4 of the same year. It is the oldest and largest Orthodox Church building in Iowa. In February 1996 a fire gutted the church’s interior. Christ Kamages of San Francisco served as architect for the renovation, iconographer Elias Damianakis of Florida and woodcarver Steve Kavroulakis of Crete, designed and built a new altar, sanctuary, narthex, iconostasion, and iconography. Metropolitan Iakovos of Krinis rededicated the church in June 1999.
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Designed by noted architect William L. Steele
William L. Steele
William LaBarthe Steele was an important architect of the Prairie School during the early twentieth century. A graduate of the University of Illinois, Steele worked in the office of renowned architect Louis Sullivan in Chicago, Illinois 1897–1900...
, the church building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
since 1998.
History
Before the founding of Holy Trinity Church in 1918, Greek Orthodox Christians had to travel to Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
to attend services. Paikos K. Pappaphilipopoulos, who would Americanize his name to Peter Nelson, led the organization of a church. Their initial meeting was held at a Knights of Columbus
Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
Hall. In 1920 they purchased property near the downtown area for $35,000. There was a house on the property that was used as the parish's first church. Father Constantinos Harvelas served as the church’s first pastor.
The cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
for the present church building was laid in the spring of 1925 and the church was dedicated on October 4 of the same year. It is the oldest and largest Orthodox Church building in Iowa. In February 1996 a fire gutted the church’s interior. Christ Kamages of San Francisco served as architect for the renovation, iconographer Elias Damianakis of Florida and woodcarver Steve Kavroulakis of Crete, designed and built a new altar, sanctuary, narthex, iconostasion, and iconography. Metropolitan Iakovos of Krinis rededicated the church in June 1999.