The 'Victorian Free Gothic styled' sandstone church started it history when the Anglican Church laid the foundation stone in 1848, but many financial difficulties meant it wasn't completed until 1855, with the tall square stone tower not built until 1875. Pre-WW2 the ethnic mix of the local suburbs showed a decline in Anglicanism, with a rise of Greek Orthodoxy. In the 1960's the Anglican Church negotiations with the Greek Orthodox Church, as St Sophia Cathedral in Paddington was too small.
"In 1970, the church was reconsecrated as the Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady. The church has been adapted for Greek Orthodox use, and the interior is now a blaze of opulent gold and other colours. In 1986, St Andrew’s Theological College was established in the site to train Orthodox priests." [Quote, and above information from PDF document, "Legacy of Inner Sydney Religion", p53-54 (of 182) (
visit link) ]
An engraved brass plaque, screwed to the sandstone wall reads:
'Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia
'Cathedral "The Annunciation of Our Lady"
'Built between 1847 - 1875
'The Cathedral formerly St. Paul's Anglican Church
was designed by Edmund Thomas Blacket
in a 14th Century decorated style of Kentish origin.
'Restoration of this building was
made possible by a grant from the
N.S.W. Bicentennial Council and by
donations of the Faithful.
'Officially opened on the 11th of September 1988.
'by His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos of Australia
'In the presence of the Honourable Nick Greiner
M.P. Premier of N.S.W.'
Facebook Page: (
visit link)
Visited: 1046 - 1050, Wednesday, 10 July, 2019