A new Greek Orthodox Church opened its doors in Adelaide’s Athelstone area earlier this year, according to greekreporter.com.
After years of efforts to complete the construction, the Orthodox Christian community of Athelstone can now celebrate liturgies in the brand-new building, which is one of just a few churches in Australia featuring a true Byzantine dome.
With a cost reaching nearly $2.5 million, the new Church was characterized as a ”jewel” by the local people, who have waited for more than eight years for the project to be completed.
The new church is dedicated to the saints Raphael, Nicholas and Irene who are venerated as saints and new martyrs by the Orthodox Christian Church.
According to a legend, Raphael, Nicholas, and Irene lived on the island of Lesvos in the fifteenth century, where they were killed by Ottoman raiders in April of 1463.
The new church’s first liturgy took place in January, with hundreds of worshippers in attendance.
Greek immigrants have been residing in Adelaide’s Athelstone area since the early 1900s, where they established a vibrant Greek community, whose presence still gives a special character to the region.
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