|
IN THE BEGINNING- WHITEHALL STREET |
|
| SECTION
1 SECTION 2 SECTION 3 SECTION 4 SECTION 5 SECTION 6 SECTION 7 |
1905 - 1906 First Greek Orthodox Church Church of Atlanta, 14 Whitehall Street (Top Floor) September 5, 1905 is recognized as the birthday of our church. That is when a group of Greek immigrants living in Atlanta joined together to form a community and Church. Why did they bother? Why not just live and work in America and let the chips fall where they may? Because they were Greeks, and to be Greek meant that you were Aristotle's child, and Christ's, and Byzantium's, and also the conquerors' and freedom's child. It meant that you had great faith and patriotism and that you had fought and died for both. It meant that you -could not go to a strange land and let the magnificent religious and cultural traditions, which were part of you, just simply die. And so they bothered ... those first Greeks who came to America over 100 years ago and the early immigrants in Atlanta in 1905. Since the number of Greeks in Atlanta had grown substantially by the early 1900's, community leaders started seeking a place for worship and other gatherings. A society was organized with the name "Evangelismos" for the purpose of finding a place to worship. On September, 5, 1905, the recognized birthday of our church, the Greek community had adopted a new Constitution and Charter and a new name, the members of the "Annunciation Society". The beginnings were modest. Initial Church services were held in a rented hall on the second floor of a building at 112 1/2 Whitehall Street from 1905-1906. The hall became a Greek Orthodox Chapel with the name, "The Annunciation of the Mother of Christ." Those comprising the founding group were: Constantine Boutos, Christos Kotsakos, Nicholas Kouloukes, Constantine Verge, Gerasimos Algers, John Stavropoulos, and Constantine Haralambides. Services were conducted by a traveling priest, Father Constantine Bakaliaros. Regular services began with the appointment of Father Christos Angelopoulos, who was followed by Father Constans Hanzidemetriou. By 1906, The founding society had grown to 72 and met at 120 1/2 Decatur Street, above a sporting goods store. This area, slightly over a block south of Five Points, was surrounded by many Greek stores and residences. |
