Orthodoxy In The Heart Of America
Denver Diocese To Dedicate New Center

October 29, 2002

DENVER -- The Greek Orthodox Diocese of Denver dedicated its new Center, located at 4550 East Alameda Avenue on November 1, 2002 at 11 a.m., followed by a press conference and reception.

His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah considers the dedication of the center a "big step for Orthodox Christianity in America. This Diocese is geographically the largest in the United States, and now has a physical marker and an administrative center from which we can reaffirm the continuity of our faith through the centuries and across ethnic boundaries."

Many local, state, and national dignitaries witnessed the ribbon cutting. A Divine Liturgy at the Assumption Cathedral preceded the dedication. The ceremony was followed by a series of events over the course of the November 1-3 weekend which celebrated the Orthodox faith, including presentations at the Hellenic Community Center, a book fair, and a Grand Banquet to be held at the Hyatt Regency, Denver.

The Greek Orthodox Diocese of Denver Center represents the administrative and communications hub for a network of 50 parishes that encompass 14 states, 1.3 million square miles and more than 40,000 members. It is the newest Diocese Center to be established in the Archdiocese of America.

Elenie Huszagh, president of the National Council of the Churches of Christ, an Eastern Orthodox Christian born and raised in the western U.S. and member of the Archdiocesan Council said," The dedication of the Center is an important landmark event that commemorates the lives and sacrifices of those early Orthodox Christian men and women who came to the Rocky Mountain and plain states and established the first churches here 100 years ago. It represents the future of Orthodoxy in the region as it symbolizes the enduring faith of the past with its new and vibrant presence."

East meets West

The Denver Center is a visible symbol of the Eastern Orthodox faith in the region and will join the Assumption Cathedral's golden dome as a memorable landmark on the Glendale, Colorado landscape.

Records of weddings, baptisms, births, and deaths will be housed in the new center. The center will also showcase artifacts showing the participation of Eastern Orthodox Christians in the building of the American West during the last 100 years.

Designed by Christ Kamages, of San Francisco's EKONA Architecture, the center is a mix of Greek monastery construction, a traditional Byzantine chapel and Spartan living quarters, with a Colorado twist - exposed wood beams above high-tech office space. The building cost over $3 million made up of contributions from congregations throughout the world. "This is not a box," said John Johns, an Archon and a long-time supporter of the center. "This is an Orthodox space."

For His Eminence Metropolitan Isaiah, the center "will obviously become the mother office of the region. The building will have something from every part of the mountain and plain states. Immigrant members of the Eastern Orthodox Church came to the region to work in the coalmines, on the railroads, and in the steel mills. The early Greek Orthodox Christians were a big part of the growth here. This building is part of our testament to them, and will reflect their life, their work, and their deaths here." The most important contribution by the forbearers of the Diocese, and one that current members hope to maintain, according to the Metropolitan, "is their Orthodox Christian values and the Hellenic legacy."

Orthodoxy traces its roots to the Holy Apostles and has been present in the western hemisphere since the 18th century. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is composed of approximately 510 parishes with a membership of over 1.5 million members.

Contact: Tom Haros, Administrator
Assumption Greek Orthodox Cathedral
Denver, Colorado
Phone: (303) 388-9314