By 1898 there was a sizable Antiochian Orthodox community in Worcester, mostly immigrants from Greater Syria who settled in Oak Hill. In 1902, the community rented and subsequently purchased an existing church at 100 Wall Street in Worcester. In 1929 the community had expanded sufficiently, that the decision was made to purchase the old St. Joseph's Church at 34 Wall Street. The Syrian immigrant community was still largely based in what came to be known as "Syrian Hill."
By the end of the 1960s, the community had grown again.
Plans were drawn for a complex consisting of a domed Byzantine‑type church, offices, Sunday School classrooms, multi‑purpose halls, a kitchen and other facilities. Construction of the complex began in 1968 and was dedicated by Metropolitan Philip Saliba on May 24, 1970. Because of the size and beauty of the new church, Metropolitan Philip proclaimed it a cathedral, the only Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in the New England region.
Source:
“A Brief History of St. George Cathedral.” n.d. St. George Orthodox Cathedral. Accessed October 21, 2021. https://www.stgeorgeworcester.org/about/history. Archived at https://perma.cc/8WGW-TJJT.
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