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Traditional Iconography in a New World

Holy Trinity
Greek Orthodox Church
900 6th Street Sioux City, IA 51101
Fr. George P. Pappas

Today the Church is thriving under the spiritual leadership of Fr George Pappas. In addition to the standard organizations the church has:
                                    A.H.E.P.A., Choir, Greek Language Education, G.O.Y.A., HOPE and J.O.Y.
                                                Koinonia, Ladies Philoptochos, Religious Education & Y.A.L.
                                                                as well as festivals, bake sales and more.

To learn more visit the churches home page http://www.holytrinitygoc.com/index.asp
Or contact Fr George at: SiouxCityFather@aol.com

The history of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox begins in 1918, the Greek community started a fund drive and purchased a corner property near downtown for $35,000 in 1920. The parcel included three houses, one of which they used as a temporary church.

The first Parish Priest was Fr. Constantinos Harvelas. In spring 1925, the community proceeded with construction of a permanent church and laid cornerstone on Annunciation Day. The church edifice, designed by William M. Steele, was completed by September, and the formal dedication took place on the 4th of October, 1925. The church continues to serve as the parish house of worship to this day. It is the oldest Greek Orthodox church building in Iowa and, in physical size, the largest.

Holy Trinity Church is listed on the National Registry of Historic Buildings and is one of four churches selected by the local museum for its "Sacred History Tour" of the city.

A high point of the parish's history was the celebration of its 25th anniversary and the visit of Bishop Athenagoras Kokinakis of San Francisco, Future Patriarch of Constantinople. who eventually when on to lift the 1000 year excommunication which caused schism oin the church. Athenagoras was transported to Turkey on Air force One as a dignitary of state from America.

In February of 1996, the dedication and perseverance of the community was tested by a fire which gutted the church's interior. A sixteen member renovation committee raised the $600,000 needed to restore the interior. Under the direction and efforts of architect Christ Kamages of San Francisco, iconographer Elias Damianakis of Florida and woodcarver Steve Kavroulakis of Crete, the community acquired a new altar, sanctuary, narthex, iconostasion, and iconography. Metropolitan Iakovos of Krinis, rededicated the church in June 1999 and called Holy Trinity
"a jewel of the Midwest."