The History of The Greek Orthodox Community in Great Yarmouth

THE BIRTH OF  THE GREEK ORTHODOX COMMUNITY

OF GREAT YARMOUTH

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The first Greeks who came to Great Yarmouth in the early 1940s as far as we

know were Mr. John Agapiou (aka Kolokasis), Mr. Joe Socrates and Mr. Fellas

(Teacher). Then after the Second World War they were followed by Mr. Lukas Chrisafi,

Mr. Kyriakos Kikis and others.

The all had great belief and devotion towards God, through patience and hard work,

they succeeded in creating a bright future for themselves and for their families.

However for those first Greeks it was not all about material success. They missed

their religion, their tradition and their chief concern was to establish a Greek

church. The church fulfills a very significant role, particularly in foreign lands

where there are Orthodox Greeks. The church brings together fellow Greeks and

boosts the spirits of mankind and gives light and meaning to their lives. With

their faith in their religion driving them forward their main objective was to

establish a church. In the autumn of 1965 the Greeks of Great Yarmouth formed

a committee consisting of Lucas Chrisafi, Kyriacos Kikis, Spyros Koursaris,

Petros Dionysiou and Andreas Demetriou. The group met to discuss the idea of

establishing a community. Later they visited the Anglican Authorities of the town

with a view to being allowed to use an Anglican church for their own religious needs.

The Anglicans listened to their pleas and for a short while granted them the use of St.

Nicholas Church. The Greek community would hold their service after the Anglican

Communion in a small corner of the church which was performed by a priest sent by

the Holy Archdiocese. In the mean time the Holy Archdiocese was engaged in efforts

to find a church which they call their own.

The late Archbishop Athinagoras Kokkinakis met with representatives of the Anglican

Authorities in Norwich to seek their help. And so, it was on the 8th June 1967 that the

Anglican Authorities granted the possession of St. Peters Church (Great Yarmouth)

to the Holy Archdiocese of Thyatira for the religious needs of the Greek Orthodox

community of Great Yarmouth. And it is because of the hard work of the first Greek

committee and the kindness of the Anglican Authorities that we have the church to

this day. And it is now our duty as The Greek Orthodox Community to carry on

maintaining the church for the use and enjoyment of future generations.