About Us

The Hellenic Orthodox Community of St. George, Manchester, NH

The First Orthodox priest to perform the Divine Liturgy in our city was the Rev. Father Kaparellis, who at different times between 1896-1899 visited Manchester to serve our people’s spiritual needs. At first the services were performed at various homes, then later in a room at City Hall.

On June 5th, 1905 the Ecclesiastical Brotherhood of St. George was organized at the City Hall auditorium. Members included:  Soterios Nicholaou, President; Demetrios Manias, Vice-President; Lazaros Vakalikos, Secretary; Panagiotis Papadimitriou, Treasurer; Demetrios Karapoulis, Chairman Board of Trustees; Haralambos Psilikas, Vice Chairman; George Dimos, Collections; and Athanasios Argeriou, Demetrios Barousie, Constantine Batalis, George Cantartzis, Athanasios Calfountzos, Marcos Constantinou, Athanasios Costokanellis, Nicholas Covatis, Costas Daskalis, Zois Flionis and Panagiotis Tsiopas. 

On October 4, 1905, the community filed a petition of incorporation with the State of New Hampshire. Approval came on October 14, and the seal of state was affixed to the charter of St. George Church at the coffeehouse at 24 Spruce Street. 

In 1907, the first Greek Church in Manchester, was founded and named St. George. The church was built for $15,000 on property given by the Amoskeag Manufacturing Co. 

In 1912, a second Greek Orthodox Church was built on Pine Street and was named the Evangelismos.  In 1917, the first ladies society was formed, ultimately to become the Anagennesis charitable organization.    In 1932, Evangelismos merged in to St. George, and its building became the Greek school and community center. 

After World War II, the younger generation took an active interest in church affairs.  By 1950, the children of the first-generation Greek Americans were enrolling in increasing numbers in the Sunday School program, whose revised curriculum was now being taught in English. Classes began at 8:30 at the Hellenic Community Center on Pine Street and ended 3 hours later at the church, the pupils, some 400 in number were transported in buses in order to attend the Divine Liturgy at 10:00. The method was unwieldy and taxed the facilities at both locations.  The solution was to find more suitable structures. With $25,000 available in the church treasury, the McShane Gardens on Hanover Street were purchased in 1958.  By 1963, after a successful fund drive directed by Arthur Kehas and assisted by Peter Agrafiotis, Dr. George Colitas, Dr. Michael Michaels, Socrates Skalkeas, Harry Theodosopoulos, Elektra Voulgaris and a dedicated group of canvassers, the Board of Directors was prepared to build a new Church.     On September 13, 1964, a groundbreaking ceremony was officiated by His Grace Gerasimos, Bishop of Boston, and on Tuesday March 22, 1966, the last service was held in the old St. George Church. 

On October 4, 1970. the Church of St. George was formally consecrated and elevated to the status of Greek Orthodox Cathedral of New Hampshire. Solemn and ancient sanctifying rites were performed by lakovos, Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of North and South America.