Cathedral of St Constantine & St Helene

Statement of Significance

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE gazetted with permanent entry as State Registered Place (28/06/2005). Cathedral of St. Constantine and St. Helene, a four-storey volume brick and tile cathedral in the Inter-War Byzantine style, and associated Hellenic Community Centre, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
+ the place was the first purpose-built Greek Orthodox Church in Western Australia, became the Orthodox Cathedral in 1972 and St. Helene remains the spiritual focus of the Greek community in Western Australia;
+ the place is rare as the first of only five Greek Orthodox churches in the State, and its only Cathedral;
+ the place is a fine though austere example of the Byzantine style externally and the interior comprises a finely designed series of spaces of a high order of aesthetic value;
+ the place was built in 1936-37 with funds raised by the comparatively small Greek Orthodox community in a period of considerable building activity following the Great Depression and is highly valued by the
State’s Greek Orthodox community for its long religious, spiritual and social associations with that community; and,
+ the place was designed by Oldham Boas Ednie-Brown, a prominent Western Australian firm of architects, and the much of the interior iconography was completed by Castellorizian born and well-known
Western Australian artist, Vlase Zanalis.
The place includes the Hellenic Community Centre, a two storey concrete, brick and metal deck roof building in the Late Twentieth Century International Style that has no cultural heritage significance, although the
site is valued by the church community.

Physical Description

Large Romanesque-style Church with twin towers, tiled domes and large arched openings to front facade. Style typical of Church architecture in south eastern Europe.

History

The Cathedral was constructed in 1936, paid for largely by contributions from members of the Castellorigian Association.
The church design was based on the Saint Constantine and Helena Church on the island of Kastellorigo - birthplace of many of the community's pioneers. The alter facade was painted by local Greek artist, Vlase Zanalis.
The church was consecrated on 18 April 1937 by Metropolitan Timotheo, Archimandrite and Rev Father Manessis who served as priest from 1925 to 1955.

Northbridge is an inner suburban area, named because it is just north of Perth across the railway bridge. It was approved as a suburb name in 1982.

Integrity/Authenticity

High level of integrity.

Medium level of authenticity as it is largely as originally constructed with detail intact.

Condition

Good

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.