StgeorgeCicero.org
Title
Welcome to St. George Church of Cicero
Description
Orthodox Christians from the Middle East began to arrive in Illinois in the early part of the 20th century. At first, they were served by itinerant priests from Michigan City, Indiana, and later from Spring Valley, Illinois. However, for decades, there were never enough families in Chicago to constitute their own parish. Many in the Chicago area worshipped in the local Greek Churches or belonged to the common Melkite/Maronite parish of St. John the Baptist.
In 1960, several families petitioned the late Metropolitan ANTONY (Bashir) to send them a priest to serve the Divine Liturgy. Services were held at the Syrian-Lebanese Club House on Washington Boulevard and Laramie Avenue on Chicago's West Side or in rented quarters. Among the first priests to serve on a weekend basis was the Rev. Fr. Philip Giffin, who commuted from Buffalo, New York. Later, priests from the Greek Diocese of Chicago served periodically at St. George. The Rev. Fr. John Newcombe served as the first resident priest for the parish from 1965 to 1966.
In the late fall of 1966, the newly-appointed Metropolitan PHILIP (Saliba) sent the Rev. Fr. Antony Gabriel from St. Elias, Toledo, Ohio, to serve at St. George. Almost immediately, Fr. Antony set out to purchase a church building from the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, with the kind assistance of their bishop, the Rt. Rev. James Montgomery. St. George parish purchased the former Good Samaritan Episcopal Church in the northeast section of Oak Park; which became the first permanent home for the parish.
Contact
- St.GeorgeAntiochian Orthodox Church
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- Cicero IL
- United States 60804
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- +1.7086562927
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