About St George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral

St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral is the mother Church of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in Australia and New Zealand. St George Cathedral is located on the corner of Walker and Cooper Streets, Redfern, where it has been since October 1953.

Prior to this time the church was situated on the corner of Walker and Redfern Streets, Redfern. The original St George Church was founded on 12 May 1920 when the foundation stone was laid. The church was later partially consecrated in November 1920. The faithful worshipped there until 14 May 1950, when the old Church was demolished to make way for Housing Commission flats.

There is evidence that the first Church established by the original Antiochian Orthodox migrants was the Greek Orthodox Church, Holy Trinity - which is located in Bourke Street, Redfern - in 1898. Members of the Antiochian Church were on the Board of Trustees of this Church, however, as the Greek Church was able to provide a Priest the Church become Greek Orthodox.

The history of St George itself begins in 1913. In this year the Very Reverend Exarchos Nicholas Shehadie arrived in Sydney, sent out by His Beatitude Gregorius Haddad, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East (who resided at Damascus). The outbreak of World War I prevented Father Nicholas returning to Lebanon. Father Nicholas first served at Holy Trinity.

Father Nicholas visited the country centres of New South Wales and Queensland, as well as spending time with the local community in Sydney. In about 1918 a meeting was called by the members of the Antiochian Orthodox community in Sydney, where Father Nicholas recommended the establishment of a church building. At this time services were also held in the homes of the late Abraham El Doumani and Selim Nader every Sunday and on Saint’s days.

Finally in 1920 the new Church was constructed. Many of the icons used in the iconostasis were brought over by Father Nicholas from Russia, and are still in the present day church iconostasis. Also still existing in the present church are the Processional Cross, the chandeliers, and the candelabra. One of the original pews sits behind the iconostasis, and another in the back row of the church extension.

A picture of the original St George

Father Nicholas Shehadie passed away on 15 May 1934 at the age of 72, as the result of a bout of asthma. The funeral service was held at St George, presided over by the Greek Orthodox Archbishop Timotheous. He was buried at Botany Cemetery. After the passing of Father Nicholas in 1935, his son Michael, who had previously studied theology in Russia, was ordained a deacon in the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Bourke Street, by Archbishop Timotheous. One week later Archbishop Timotheous ordained him a priest.

The influx of newcomers in the late 1940s saw the need for a larger church, and plans were drawn. Then a blow was dealt to Father Michael and the community when in 1948 the state government gazetted the resumption of land in Walker and Redfern streets for the building of housing commission flats. The community had to find a new site for the church. A new site at Kingsford was researched and it was decided against it. In June 1949, two sites were offered by the New South Wales government, one on the corner of Elizabeth and Redfern Streets, opposite Redfern Park, and one on the corner of Walker and Cooper Street. Father Michael, Abe Aboud, Jack Saba and George Dan were appointed to negotiate with the Department of Housing. The first option was rejected due to a subterranean water problem. It was decided that the location of the new St George would therefore be on the corner of Walker and Cooper Streets Redfern, but it still needed to be approved by the Minister of Housing.

It is believed that at the last service held in the original church, Clive Evatt, who was the minister of housing at the time and responsible for the resumption of the church land, attended the service, where Father Michael in his final and most inspiring sermon told the congregation in no uncertain terms that this was the man who had taken their church from them. However he would also be the man who would help them get new land — that was a promise he made his congregation. Father Michael ensured Clive Evatt worked closely with him. Finally, the land was approved where St George Cathedral stands today.

It was a very difficult time for Father Michael as the church was demolished and he had to hold his services in the Sydney City Mission Hall in Redfern Street. He had secured the land and new plans were drawn up. Records show payment by the Ladies’ Committee, however, it is also known that Mr Old (a English convert) played a part in payment of the Orthodox design. Also, as Father Mansour was told by Mr Old, circa 1950, architect Alfred Little had visited Lebanon and Syria to study Orthodox church design. Father Michael, though, did not live to see the new church built.

During the time without a Church the services were held at City Mission Hall in Redfern St (now rebuilt at Mission house) and later Christ Church St Lawrence in Broadway.

The foundation stone of the new church was laid in October 1953 by His Eminence the Greek Archbishop of Australia and New Zealand, the Most Reverend Theophylactos, Exarchos Malatius Hussney, and Mr Abe Aboud in the presence of the community. It rests on the left hand side face of the church today.

The first service was held in the incomplete church at Easter 1954. The iconostasis was not to be completed until 1956. St George Cathedral was finally completed - but it was still some time before it would be consecrated.

On the arrival of Father Nicolas Mansour to Australia to serve St George in 1964 he immediately set out to have the Church debts repaid and the Church fully consecrated. It was only a few months before this was ready to proceed. As there was no Antiochian Orthodox Bishop in Australia Father Nicolas approached the Greek Orthodox Church. Archbishop Ezekiel delegated Bishop Dyonisius for this matter. Bishop Dyonisius was returning to Greece for a visit at this time, so he promised that he would secure some of the actual relics of St George for the consecration.

In November 1964 Bishop Dyonisius returned to Sydney and with him was a silver box containing the relics of St George. On 7 November 1964 a pontifical royal liturgy was celebrated and St George Church was finally fully consecrated. The service was most beautiful, long and colourful. The service lasted for four and half hours. A meticulous preparation preceded the event. We had to provide holy water, rose water, red wine, a sponge fixed on a long stick, white linen to cover the altar main table, beeswax, incense, frankincense, myrrh, alum, mastic and sweet smelling spices. Mr Joe Yared had provided the herbs and spices. The ingredients were boiled on a simmering stove until a viscous mixture was formed. The silver box of the holy relics was placed in a rectangular hole in the centre of the altar slab and the mixture was poured upon it whilst the choir chanted special hymns and passages from the psalms. The ceremony ended with the bishop dipping the sponge fitted on the stick into the holy chrism (the miron — anointing oil used at the baptism for christmation or Orthodox confirmation) and then proceeding to anoint the four walls of the church with the chrism-impregnated sponge. The anointment involved drawing the sign of the cross on each wall. It was also on this day that the foundation stone was laid for the hall.

In 1967 the Church hall and presbytery building were completed. Archbishop Ezekiel and the Lord Mayor of Sydney, John Armstrong, inaugurated the building.

The Church was growing quickly. Father Nicholas Mansour reported to the Patriarchate the difficulties that he was encountering due to the spread of the congregation all over Sydney and New South Wales. His Beatitude was asked to investigate and help find a solution. The Holy Synod delegated Archimandrite Gibran Ramlawey to visit Sydney and study the church and come up with some recommendations on how to improve the situation in Sydney.

As a result of his study in October 1969 the Holy Synod elevated the church in Australia to Diocese and elected Father Gibran to be our first bishop. Archimandrite Gibran was consecrated bishop by Archbishop Philip of New York and North America.

In 1973 His Grace decided to build a second Church in Sydney - one in the East and one in the West. The Parish Council of St George purchased the house at 11 Henry Street Punchbowl and presented it to the newly formed Parish Council of St Nicholas and to the parish priest, the late Father John Shehadie. The people of St George were proud to assist in the construction of St Nicholas, and later on in contributing to the construction of other Antiochian Orthodox churches. The Church was elevated to a Cathedral in 1987 by the Late Bishop Gibran of Thrice-Blessed Memory.

To administer the affairs of the Cathedral and the Parish a Parish Council, Ladies Guild and Youth (ACOY) have been actively instituted since the inception of the church.

The current Pastor is Father Nabil Kachab who joined St George on 28 August 2005, after Father Nicolas Mansour's retirement as Pastor after 42 years of service.

The Cathedral continues to flourish under the spiritual guidance and support of His Eminence Metropolitan Paul Saliba. We thank His Eminence for his support. May God grant him good health and many years.