Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (Lowell, Massachusetts)

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
Location Lewis St, Lowell, Massachusetts
Coordinates 42°38′44″N 71°19′2″W / 42.64556°N 71.31722°W / 42.64556; -71.31722Coordinates: 42°38′44″N 71°19′2″W / 42.64556°N 71.31722°W / 42.64556; -71.31722
Area 0.2 acres (0.081 ha)
Built 1906
Architect Henry L. Rourke, G. Rinkelin
Architectural style Neo-Byzantine
Website www.holytrinitylowellhoc.org
Part of Lowell National Historical Park (#78003149)
NRHP Reference # 77000181[1]
Significant dates
Added to NRHP April 13, 1977
Designated CP June 5, 1978

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church is a historic Greek Orthodox Church building at 62 Lewis Street in Lowell, Massachusetts. Holy Trinity is just one of the many Eastern Orthodox churches in Lowell, along with St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, Greek Orthodox Church of the Transfiguration, and St. George Greek Orthodox Church.The church is under the jurisdiction of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The church is located in Downtown Lowell in a neighborhood known as The Acre. It was built in 1906 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Holy Trinity was the first church built for a Greek Orthodox congregation in the United States.[2] The church is also the mother church for all other Greek Orthodox Churches in New England [3] It is known for its golden dome, mosaics, iconography, and rich history. The church shows the significant role the Greek-American community played in developing Lowell, Massachusetts.

The Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Community of Lowell commemorates that Archbishop Iakovos was ordained as a priest in the church on June 16, 1940.

History

The church was built because of the growing population of Greek immigrants in Lowell at the time. Construction started in 1906, and the church opened in 1908. It is the first church in America that was built specifically for a Greek congregation. It was accepted for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places on April 13, 1977. In late 2010, the congregation started restoration work on the church. The exterior was refurbished, and the water damage in the interior is being repaired. In addition, a lot of the icon murals are being restored.

Hellenic American Academy

The Hellenic American Academy was formed on March 4, 1906. It was first called the Greek Parochial School.[4] The academy was first located in the basement of the church. It was the first Greek Orthodox Academy in America, and was established by some of the same Greek Immigrants who founded the church. The Academy is now located on Broadway Street adjacent to the church. It currently educates children in grades K-8.

Architecture

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church was built in 1906 as the first Byzantine-style church in America. The building was finished in 1908. The building is shaped like a cross, like most traditional Greek Orthodox Churches. The structure is Lowell architect Henry L. Rourke's interpretation of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.[5] Inside the church, mosaics decorate the narthex. In the nave, various Byzantine icon murals decorate the walls, along with stained glass. It is a visible sign of the Greek-American community's significant contribution to Lowell's culture and heritage and of the development of Greek Orthodoxy in New England.

See also

References

  1. ↑ National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ Marilyn J. Chiat, America's Religious Architecture, Wiley, 1997 p. 52
  3. ↑ http://www.holytrinitylowellhoc.org/Home.html
  4. ↑ http://www.hellenicamericanacademy.com/
  5. ↑ http://www.richardhowe.com/2011/02/04/holy-trinity-greek-orthodox-church-2/
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