St Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, Surry Hills Explained

St Sophia Greek Orthodox Church
Fullname:St Sophia and Her Three Daughters Greek Orthodox Church
Other Name:Bourke Street Congregational Church and School
Pushpin Map:Australia Sydney
Pushpin Mapsize:270
Relief:1
Map Caption:Location in greater metropolitan Sydney
Coordinates:-33.8819°N 151.2162°W
Location:411a Bourke Street,, City of Sydney, New South Wales
Country:Australia
Denomination:Greek Orthodox
Previous Denomination:Congregationalism
Dedication:St Sophia of Rome
Status:Church
Functional Status:Active
Years Built:1880 - 1980s
Parish:St Sophia and Her Three Daughters
Archdiocese:Australia
Priest:Archimandrite Fr. Irenaeus Triantis
Embedded:
Embed:yes
Designation1:New South Wales State Heritage Register
Designation1 Offname:Bourke Street Congregational Church & School (Former)
Designation1 Type:State heritage (complex / group)
Designation1 Date:2 April 1999
Designation1 Number:382
Designation1 Free1name:Type
Designation1 Free1value:Church
Designation1 Free2name:Category
Designation1 Free2value:Religion
Designation1 Free3name:Builders

St Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, officially the St Sophia and Her Three Daughters Greek Orthodox Church, is a heritage-listed Greek Orthodox church at 411a Bourke Street in the inner city Sydney suburb of in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia.[1] Formerly a Congregational church, the building is also known as the former Bourke Street Congregational Church and School. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[2]

History

The present building was designed by William Boles and opened in 1880.[3] The church had existed since 1855, named the Bourke Street Wesleyan Church,[4] operating out of a portable iron structure made from parts transported from England, built and designed by John Goold; when the new church was built, the old structure was moved to Stewart St, Paddington.

By 1933, the church was struggling both in congregation size and finances as the area had ceased to be seen as fashionable, and was no longer able to afford a regular minister, with ministers instead provided by the Home Mission Board. The collection plate takings had diminished to "only a few shillings".[5] During the 1930s, free meals were provided to unemployed men in the school hall, with 20,000 meals having been served between 1932 and 1935.[6]

The church closed in the late 1930s. It was later leased by the Greek Orthodox Church from 1974, who then purchased it from the Congregational Church in the 1980s.[7] It continues in operation today as the St Sophia Greek Orthodox Church.[8] The original church pipe organ (1888) was transferred to the Galston Uniting Church in the 1980s, as it was no longer required under the new owners. The Galston Congregational Church Pipe Organ is separately listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register.[9]

Priests

Some clerics known to have served this parish since its founding in 1974 include;[10]

Heritage listing

Bourke Street Congregational Church and School was listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.[2]

See also

References

Bibliography

Attribution

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: St Sophia, Taylor Square, NSW – The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia. 2021-10-27. en-AU.
  2. 00382. S90/04505 & HC 32985. 13 October 2018.
  3. News: Bourke-street Congregational Church. . . 3998 . New South Wales, Australia . 14 February 1880 . 24 October 2018 . 3 . National Library of Australia.
  4. News: Bourke Street Wesleyan Church . . 3,642 . New South Wales, Australia . 16 June 1863 . 14 June 2024 . 8 . National Library of Australia.
  5. News: Fight For Church That Has Made History . . 1574 . New South Wales, Australia . 28 May 1933 . 24 October 2018 . 6 . National Library of Australia.
  6. News: CUT HIS OWN STIPEND . . 5 . 25 . New South Wales, Australia . 16 March 1935 . 24 October 2018 . 14 . National Library of Australia.
  7. Web site: Galston Uniting Church . Organ Music Society of Sydney . 24 October 2018.
  8. Web site: St Sophia, Taylor Square, NSW . Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia . 24 October 2018.
  9. 00382. S90/04505. 1 June 2018.
  10. Kapandritis . Fr. Alexiou S . 2019 . The Orthodox Church in Australia as Metropolis (1924-1959) & Holy Archdiocese (1959-Today) . Aristotle's University Thessaloniki . 61–62 . Aristotle's University Thessaloniki School of Theology.