Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral has watched over the corner of South 8th Street in downtown Philadelphia since the Greek Orthodox Community of Philadelphia took ownership of its 1821 Greek revival building in 1922. For more than a century, the Cathedral has served the faithful of the greater Delaware Valley and the wider Orthodox Christian community, making it both a mother church to seven surrounding Greek Orthodox parishes and a treasured architectural landmark in Center City. Within walking distance of Washington Square and the historic core of the city, the Cathedral stands as a living expression of Hellenic heritage, Orthodox tradition, and Philadelphia history.
A Building with Two Centuries of History
The Cathedral occupies a Greek revival structure designed in 1821 by John Haviland for his own congregation, originally named St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. Haviland was rising to prominence as a Philadelphia architect in this period and would go on to design Eastern State Penitentiary, the Pennsylvania Institute for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb, and the Franklin Institute. The Greek Orthodox Community of Philadelphia acquired the building in 1922, and within a few years Archbishop Athenagoras of North and South America (later Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople) elevated the parish to the rank of Cathedral. Saint George has served as the mother church of the seven surrounding Greek Orthodox communities in the greater Philadelphia area ever since.
A fire in October 1930 destroyed the interior, sparing only a single icon brought from Greece. The damaged roof and the loss of an originally flat, ornately coffered plaster ceiling led to a reconstruction that left the roof trusses exposed. King George II of Greece visited the Cathedral in 1942. The building was nearly lost to foreclosure in 1935 and 1936, saved when two women from the congregation delayed the sheriff long enough for the money to be raised. A 2004 structural stabilization by Keast and Hood installed a new standing seam lead-coated copper roof, and renovations completed in 2010 restored the interior hardwood and marble floors, the stained glass windows, and the column bases. John Haviland himself is interred in a stone crypt in the basement.
Greek Revival Architecture on 8th Street
The Cathedral is believed to be modeled on the Temple of Bacchus at Teos and is laid out as a broad rectangle 66 feet 7 inches by 87 feet 10 inches. Six Ionic columns support the east-facing portico, beneath which stands a paneled entrance door 25 feet high. Load-bearing brick walls covered in scored stucco painted white carry the structure, and the raised platform is finished in bluestone with marble steps spanning the entire front facade. Windows for the basement, first floor, and second floor align vertically on the north and south elevations, five for each floor on each facade. The east facade is finished with a cast and wrought iron fence in neoclassical style.
Inside, the sanctuary follows a conventional three-aisle plan with balconies to the north, east, and west. Two palm-leaf pilasters based on the North Porch of the Erechtheum frame the apse, the head of which was carried into a curved recess above the original ceiling line. The gallery supports are wooden columns with palm-leaf flutes, bronzed capitals, and small wreaths. The stained glass windows on the first floor are highly decorative, with simpler colored plate glass above. A Sunday School Building was added to the west between 1838 and 1840, and a Community Center was built in 1950, creating the L-shaped complex that serves the parish today. The Cathedral is listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places and was documented by the Historic American Building Survey in 1984.
The Divine Liturgy at the Heart of the Cathedral
Sunday morning at the Cathedral begins with Orthros at 8:30 a.m., followed by the Divine Liturgy at 9:30 a.m. The same schedule is observed on weekdays, with Orthros at 8:30 a.m. and Divine Liturgy at 9:30 a.m. The Divine Liturgy is the central and most important worship experience of the Orthodox Church, often called the Sacrament of Sacraments. In the Orthodox understanding, the Eucharist is not primarily a text to be studied but an experience of communion with the living God, in which prayer, music, gestures, the material creation, art, and architecture come together.
The Divine Liturgy unfolds in two main parts preceded by the Service of Preparation. The priest vests himself, prepares the bread and wine at the Proskomide Table on the left side of the Altar, and offers the names of those, living and dead, who are to be remembered during the Liturgy. The Liturgy of the Catechumens opens with the solemn declaration, Blessed be the Kingdom of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit now and for ever more, and includes the Little Entrance with the Book of Gospels, the Epistle and Gospel readings, and the sermon. The Liturgy of the Faithful begins with the Great Entrance, when the bread and wine are brought from the Preparation Table through the nave to the Altar. The congregation exchanges the Kiss of Peace, confesses the faith together through the Nicene Creed, and joins in offering the gifts to the Father in memory of Christ. After the invocation of the Holy Spirit, the priest comes from the altar with the Holy Gifts and invites the faithful to draw near with reverence of God, with faith, and with love.
Three forms of the Eucharist are celebrated in the Orthodox Church. The Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is the most frequently offered, while the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great is observed ten times a year and the Liturgy of St. James is celebrated on October 23. The Divine Liturgy is properly offered only once a day and only in the presence of a congregation. Standing is the preferred posture of prayer. The people respond to the litanies with Lord, have mercy or Grant this, O Lord, sing the hymns, make the sign of the Cross, and receive Holy Communion at the common chalice by means of a communion spoon. Reception of Holy Communion is open to those who are baptized, chrismated, and practicing members of the Orthodox Church. Services at the Cathedral are celebrated in both English and Greek.
The Seven Sacraments
The Orthodox Church recognizes seven major Sacraments, or Mysteries, in which the perception of God's presence and actions is heightened and celebrated. These are Baptism, Chrismation, the Eucharist, Confession, Marriage, Holy Orders, and the Anointing of the Sick. Through the Sacraments, God discloses Himself through the prayers and actions of His people, and the faithful become receptive to God. The Sacraments affect the personal relationship both God and to one another, and the process of deification, called theosis in Orthodoxy, takes place within the context of a believing community rather than in isolation.
Baptism incorporates the believer into the Church, the Body of Christ, and is the introduction to the life of the Holy Trinity. Following the custom of the early Church, Orthodoxy encourages the baptism of infants. The Sacrament is performed by triple immersion in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and the newly baptized is considered a full member of the Church from infancy. Chrismation follows Baptism immediately and is never delayed. The priest anoints the various parts of the body with Holy Oil blessed by the bishop, saying, The seal of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The newly baptized receive Holy Communion at the conclusion of the rite, ideally within the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.
Confession is the Sacrament through which sins are forgiven and the relationship with God and others is restored and strengthened. The priest acts as a sacramental witness representing both Christ and His people and is viewed not as a judge but as a physician and guide. The Orthodox practice of having a spiritual father is ancient, and the frequency of confession is left to the discretion of the individual, though in the event of serious sin, confession is a necessary preparation for Holy Communion. The Anointing of the Sick, also called Holy Unction, is offered to all who are sick in body, mind, or spirit, not only to those near death. After seven epistle lessons, seven gospel lessons, and seven prayers, the priest anoints the body with Holy Oil. The Church celebrates the Sacrament for all its members on Holy Wednesday of Holy Week.
The Orthodox House of God
The interior of the Cathedral reflects the conviction that the material world is a medium through which God expresses Himself. Color, light, iconography, and appointments create an atmosphere of worship meant to draw the whole person into communion with God. The building is divided into three areas: the narthex, the nave, and the sanctuary. The narthex serves as an entry area where the faithful may light a candle before an icon and offer a personal prayer. The nave, with pews on the right and left of the central aisle, accommodates the gathered congregation. To the right is the bishop's throne, from which the bishop presides as a living icon of Christ among his people. To the left is the pulpit, from which the Gospel is proclaimed and the sermon preached.
The sanctuary is the most sacred part of the church and is separated from the nave by the iconostasion, a panel of icons with three entrances: the Deacon Doors and the central Royal Door. On the right of the iconostasion are always the icons of Christ and St. John the Baptist. On the left are always the icons of the Theotokos, the Mother of our Lord, and the patron saint or event to which the church is dedicated. Above the sanctuary in the apse is often a large icon of the Theotokos and the Christ Child, and high above in the ceiling or dome is the icon of Christ the Almighty, the Pantocrator, who reigns as Lord of heaven and earth.
Fr. Anastasios Bourantas and the Cathedral Clergy
Father Anastasios Pantelis Bourantas serves as the parish priest, or Dean, of Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral. He was born on October 15, 1963, in Tanagra, Voiotia, Greece, and immigrated with his family to Annapolis, Maryland, in 1971. After graduating from Annapolis Senior High School, he attended Arizona State University, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in History. In 1989, he began studies at Holy Cross School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, and graduated in 1993 with a Master of Divinity degree with distinction.
Father Anastasios began his work in the Church as Youth and Christian Education Director at the Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Richmond, Virginia, from 1993 to 1995. He was ordained to the Holy Diaconate on September 10, 1995, and to the Holy Priesthood on October 26, 1995. He served at the St. Demetrios Cathedral and St. Catherine Church in Astoria, New York, before joining the Archdiocese headquarters in New York City as the Youth and Young Adult Ministries Director. He later served parishes in Wilmington, Delaware, and Media, Pennsylvania, where he led the Delaware Valley Youth Commission, directed Camp Good Shepherd in New Jersey, and served as the Vicar of Delaware Valley Region. In October 2022, he became Dean of the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Baltimore, and on March 1, 2024, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Apostolos of New Jersey, he began his ministry at Saint George Cathedral in Philadelphia. Father Anastasios is married to Presvytera Nicoletta (Chickris), and they have three daughters, Corina, Christina, and Gabriella.
The Cathedral sits within a wider hierarchy of Orthodox leadership. His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America is the eighth Archbishop of America since the establishment of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese in 1922. Elected by the Holy and Sacred Synod on May 11, 2019, Archbishop Elpidophoros was enthroned at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in New York on June 22, 2019. His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the 270th successor to the Apostle Andrew, has served as spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide since his enthronement on November 2, 1991.
Teachings of the Orthodox Church
Orthodoxy believes that the Christian Faith and the Church are inseparable. God is the source of faith, and the Orthodox Church teaches that He has revealed Himself to us, most especially in the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Doctrine of the Holy Trinity, central to the Orthodox Faith, is not a result of pious speculation but of the overwhelming experience of God. There is only One God, in whom there are three distinct Persons, and when Orthodox Christians encounter the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit, they are truly experiencing contact with God.
The doctrine of the Incarnation occupies an equally central position. Jesus is the Son of God who became the Son of Man, and in Him divinity is united with humanity without the destruction of either reality. The great Fathers of the Church summarized the ministry of Christ in the affirmation, God became what we are so that we may become what He is. The Holy Scriptures are highly regarded and read at every service of Worship. The Old Testament contains forty-nine books of various literary styles and is read in light of Christ's revelation. The New Testament, especially the Gospels, is a written witness to the perfect revelation of God in the Incarnation of the Son of God.
The Nicene Creed, formulated at the Councils of Nicaea in 325 and Constantinople in 381, has been recognized since then as the authoritative expression of the fundamental beliefs of the Orthodox Church. The seven Ecumenical Councils of the ancient undivided Church proclaimed, in particular places and particular times, what the Church has always believed and taught. The Orthodox Church treasures Holy Tradition, meaning that which is handed on from one generation to another. In addition to the witness of Faith in Scripture, the Orthodox Christian Faith is celebrated in the Eucharist, taught by the Fathers, glorified by the Saints, expressed in prayers, hymns, and icons, defended by the Ecumenical Councils, embodied in the Nicene Creed, manifested in social concern, and by the power of the Holy Spirit lived in every local Orthodox parish.
Sunday School and Religious Education
The Sunday School program at Saint George helps children grow in their understanding of the Orthodox Faith and encourages them to participate more fully in the life of the Church. Children in the religious education program attend the Divine Liturgy and sit with their classmates and teachers in the reserved front pews on the pulpit side of the Cathedral. Students are dismissed after Holy Communion to attend their classes, and attendance is taken in each classroom at the beginning of the lesson.
The curriculum walks students through topics tailored to each grade level. Preschool children use Reaching For Jesus, kindergarten children use Happy With God, and first graders study Me and My World. By second and third grade, children learn the Lord's Prayer and the Nicene Creed. Fourth through sixth graders add the Axion Estin, the Ten Commandments, the Trisagion Prayers, and the books of the New Testament. Seventh through ninth grade students read the Gospel of Matthew, the Book of Acts, the Book of Psalms, and Genesis, along with church history and liturgical practices. Students who graduate from Sunday School are expected to know the major prayers, the sequence of the books of the Bible, the story of the Nativity, the important saints of the Orthodox Faith, and the meaning of the sign of the Cross. Parents are considered the primary educators of their children and are asked to take an active role in Christian education at home.
Hellenic Language School
The Greek School at Saint George offers instruction in the Greek language to children in the first grade and older. Classes are divided by ability rather than age, with new non-beginner students taking a short assessment to determine the right level. The program offers a beginner class, an advanced beginner class, and a Greek dancing class. An adult class is planned if interest and teacher availability permit.
Children's classes meet on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuition is $300 for the first child, with siblings enrolled at $250 each. Parents are required to be active, paid members of the Cathedral. Mrs. Agnes Keisoglou serves as the Greek School Program Director. The Greek School is one of the longest-running expressions of Hellenic heritage at the Cathedral and gives children the chance to read, write, and speak the language of their grandparents.
Ai Myrophori Philoptochos
The Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society is the women's philanthropic arm of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and the Saint George Cathedral chapter takes the name Ai Myrophori. Founded on March 1, 1937, by Reverend Demetrios Papantaniou at the inspiration of Archbishop Athenagoras, Ai Myrophori was the first chartered chapter of Philoptochos in Philadelphia. The original 120 members took their name from the Myrrh-bearing women who went to anoint the body of Christ on the first Easter morning, and the chapter has supported charitable causes in the region ever since.
The Society's mission is to aid the poor, the destitute, the hungry, the aged, the sick, the unemployed, the orphaned, the imprisoned, the widowed, the handicapped, and the victims of disasters, and to undertake the burial of impoverished persons. Locally, Ai Myrophori has contributed to the Community Center, Parish House, Parish Office, the Church interior doors, the Altar, choir robes, Sunday School rooms, the church kitchen, and the Cathedral Philoptochos Center. The chapter has also supported Saint Basil Academy, Saint Michael Old Age Home, Holy Cross Seminary, Athenagoras Manor, the Hellenic Cardiac Program, foster parents in Cyprus, foreign missions, and scholarships. The Philoptochos executive committee is led by President Elpiniki Kousis, First Vice President Vasiliki Haralambous, Corresponding Secretary Maria Tsiouris, and Treasurer Eleni Kravaris.
Stewardship and the Restoration of a National Treasure
Saint George depends on the generosity of its parishioners, benefactors, and friends. The annual stewardship goal is supported by a recommended minimum pledge per family. Members commit a portion of time, talent, and treasure to the Church through a signed stewardship commitment card. Stewardship involves service in liturgical roles, including sanctuary and altar care, acolytes, baking Prosphora, readers, and greeters. Communications roles include the bulletin, newsletter, and public relations. Youth ministries offer opportunities to teach or administer Church School. Visiting the hospitalized and shut-ins, campus ministry, outreach, the Welcome Team, Sunday fellowship, the International Orthodox Christian Charities, the OCMC Mission Center, prison ministry, and dance instruction all welcome volunteers. Building and grounds needs range from garden and landscaping to plumbing, electrical, clean-up, interior and exterior repairs, roofing, hall rentals, and cooking. Paul Karagiannis serves as Stewardship Chair.
A separate Restoration Fund supports a major preservation project on the historic 1821 structure. The work focuses on preserving the existing building fabric, ensuring public safety, and integrating new technology to improve the original construction. Three broad phases of work have been identified: Phase 1 covers wooden and marble flooring, windows, and column bases; Phase 2 addresses roof repairs and interior finishes; and Phase 3 covers portico structural repairs and the restoration of the columns and stairs. Candle donations can be made online so that a candle may be lit on behalf of those who cannot attend in person.
Weddings, Baptisms, and Memorials
The Orthodox celebration of marriage includes the Service of Betrothal and the Service of Crowning. After being blessed by the priest, the rings are exchanged between bride and groom, signifying that in married life the weaknesses of one partner will be compensated for by the strengths of the other. The bride and groom hold candles symbolizing Christ, the light of the world, and the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The priest joins their right hands and asks God to unite them in oneness of mind and heart. The couple is crowned with crowns of glory and honor, signifying the establishment of a new family under God, and the crowns are joined by a white ribbon symbolizing marital unity. They drink from a common cup in remembrance of the wedding at Cana, and the priest leads them in the Dance of Isaiah, an expression of joy and celebration. Scripture readings from Ephesians and the Gospel of John accompany the rite. Near the end, the priest removes the crowns and charges the couple to go in peace, doing the commandments of God.
Baptism is performed by triple immersion in the name of the Holy Trinity, and the parish office provides baptismal guidelines and forms. Parents complete a petition that includes the requested date, the child's place of birth, and a copy of the birth certificate, which must be returned to the Parish Office before a date can be finalized. The Orthodox Funeral consists of the Trisagion Service (usually at the wake), the Funeral Service at the Church (ideally with the Divine Liturgy), and the Trisagion Service repeated at the graveside. A Memorial Service is customarily offered on the third, ninth, and fortieth day after a death, on the yearly anniversary, on the two Saturdays preceding Great Lent, on the first Saturday of Great Lent, on the Saturday before Pentecost, and on Memorial Day in the United States. Families traditionally bring a dish of boiled wheat, called kollyva, a symbol of the Resurrection. Order forms for Koliva memorial trays are available from the Cathedral.
Becoming an Orthodox Christian
Orthodoxy is open to all persons regardless of culture, race, class, or background. Membership in the Orthodox Church begins at baptism (or chrismation for those already baptized in another Christian tradition) and continues throughout life. Serious inquirers are encouraged to meet with Father Anastasios and become acquainted with the Cathedral community. The priest offers classes or conferences on the Orthodox Faith, with the length and scope determined by previous knowledge and particular needs.
After the period of instruction, there is a Service of Reception. Converts from a non-Christian religion make a profession of faith and are baptized and chrismated. Those received from a church with beliefs similar to Orthodoxy and who have been properly baptized and confirmed participate in a brief Service of Anointing (Chrismation) signifying reconciliation with the Orthodox Church. The reception of Holy Communion is the consummation of union with the Church.
A First Visit to the Cathedral
Visitors are warmly welcomed at Saint George. The church office can be reached at 1 215 627 4389 or by email. Because the Cathedral is located in Center City, parking can be a challenge. A public parking lot is available near the intersection of 8th Street and St. James Place, and the church is working on an agreement to provide a reduced rate for visitors. Street parking is available along portions of 8th Street, Locust Street, Darien Street, and 9th Street, and a downloadable parking map is available from the Cathedral office. Visitors are encouraged to display a sign in their car indicating that they are attending church services to avoid tickets; the signs can be picked up at the church office.
The current bulletin, an online chapel for the prescribed Epistle and Gospel passages, the Orthodox calendar with saints, feasts, and fasting guide, and Archdiocese live video broadcasts are available for those who cannot attend in person. The Cathedral invites all who come to experience the worship of the Holy Trinity according to the Faith and Tradition of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.