Cathedral of St Andrew and St Demetrius explained

Cathedral Church of St Andrew and St Demetrius
Native Name:Iglesia Catedral de los Santos Andrés y Demetrio
Native Name Lang:es
Address:Calle Nicaragua, 12
Location:Madrid
Country:Spain
Dedication:Andrew the Apostle and Demetrius of Thessaloniki
Denomination:Greek Orthodox
Status:Cathedral
Functional Status:Active
Style:Byzantine
Groundbreaking:1971
Completed Date:1973
Metropolis:Spain and Portugal
Province:Constantinople

The Cathedral Church of St Andrew and St Demetrius (Spanish; Castilian: '''Iglesia Catedral de los Santos Andrés y Demetrio''') is a Greek Orthodox cathedral situated on Nicaragua Street in the neighbourhood of Hispanoamérica, district of Chamartín, Madrid, Spain, which belongs to the Orthodox Church of Constantinople.[1] Originally a church, it was granted cathedral status in 2006.[2]

History

The presence of Greek Orthodoxy in Spain dates back to the late 19th century, when some Greek merchants emigrated to the Iberian Peninsula. In 1949, the Parish of St Andrew the Apostle (Spanish; Castilian: Parroquia del Apóstol San Andrés) was founded in the capital city Madrid, under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople. The first stone of the current cathedral was laid in 1971, and construction finished in 1973, the cathedral was inaugurated in the same year. It is built in Byzantine style with a bell tower. Inside, like any other Eastern Orthodox church, an iconostasis with holy door separates the nave from the sanctuary. The interior walls are entirely covered with colourful fresco paintings and elaborate decorative motifs made by Greek artists.[3]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Santa Iglesia Catedral de los Santos Andrés y Demetrio . . . sacrametropolisortodoxa.jimdofree.com . es . 29 April 2021.
  2. Web site: El cristianismo ortodoxo en España . Díez de Velasco . Francisco . . fradive.webs.ull.es . es . 29 April 2021.
  3. Book: López García, Bernabé . 2007 . Arraigados: Minorías religiosas en la Comunidad de Madrid . Collection «Pluralismo y convivencia» (nº 3) . es . Barcelona . Icaria Editorial . 72 . 9788474269383.