The St George Church in Rose Bay has voiced its disagreement with a proposal to designate the building as a heritage site.
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The President of the Parish Committee, Spero Raissis, expressed concerns that the plan by the Woollahra Council to protect the religious building through heritage listing would have negative consequences for its congregation.
Mr Raissis emphasised that the church community, which is thriving and expanding, is already facing challenges in its current location. He believes such a listing would make it significantly more difficult for the church to undertake necessary expansions to the existing building.
Heritage Listing Proposal
In 2022, Council prepared a heritage study of places of worship in the city, which included St George Church, Rose Bay.
The report suggests that “the Greek Orthodox church meets the criteria for local heritage listing based on its historical and aesthetic qualities, its association with Greek migrant communities in the area following WW1, as well as being a rare example of a Greek Orthodox church that is also a war memorial.”
History of St George Church, Rose Bay
The plan to construct a Parish Church in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs was initiated in early 1956. Through the combined efforts of around 100 families, the construction of the current sacred building was finished by early 1962.
It was designed by prominent architects Fowell, Mansfield & Maclurcan, who also designed a large number of churches in Sydney and wider NSW. The church was dedicated on 24 November 1962, to honour those who served in the First and Second World Wars.
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Located at 90-92 Newcastle Street, Rose Bay, the war memorial church is of brick construction and features a bell tower and three decorative arches over the entrance doors.
Since its establishment, the Greek Orthodox Parish of St George has viewed itself as an essential component of Australian culture.
It has strived to meet various needs, including incorporating English into prayers and worship, introducing Orthodox literature in English, and recognizing the wider mission of Orthodoxy in Australian society.
At present, the parish has over 2,000 Orthodox Christians and warmly welcomes all visitors.
Published 4-July-2023