Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Dallas County. Now settle in, because this story travels a long way before it ever reaches Texas. In the early twentieth century, unrest and regional turmoil in Greece forced hundreds of thousands of Greeks to leave their homes.

Many of them pointed themselves toward America, and some of them, eventually, found their way to Dallas. Now here's where it gets interesting. A Greek-American benevolent society called the Hermes Society had already formed in Dallas, and just one year after that, the Dallas community recognized the pressing need to establish an Eastern Orthodox Church.

They weren't waiting around. On November 18, 1915, a charter was signed and granted, and Holy Trinity came into being for public worship. By 1916, with many donations and a loan, construction began at a place called the Riggs Street location, the first site of Holy Trinity.

There are very few records of that construction, and the reason for that is something worth sitting with for a moment. The wood-frame structure was designed to be temporary. Many Greeks in Dallas meant to return to Greece.

They weren't planning to put down roots. They were building something just in case, just for now. And yet.

On July 18, 1937, Holy Trinity at Riggs Street was consecrated. In the late 1930s, Archbishop Athenagoras, who would later become Patriarch, came to Dallas for a visit. By that point, the congregation had added a community meeting hall, and a nearby house was serving as the priest's house.

What was temporary had become something real. During both World War One and World War Two, Holy Trinity contributed to the war effort through military service and through services at home. Following the war, Dallas grew quickly, and the church grew with it.

The congregation purchased property and built a new church at Swiss Avenue and Apple Street. There, Holy Trinity flourished. Choir, youth activities, stage productions, concerts, the annual Greek Food Festival, monthly publications, and much more.

A community that once built a wood-frame building with one eye on the door back home was now deeply, joyfully planted. In the 1990s, the church moved again, to this location. Through spiritual guidance, cultural celebrations, and involvement in the community, Holy Trinity helped cement a successful and growing Greek population in Dallas.

They came thinking they might leave. They stayed and built something that outlasted every reason to go.

What the marker says

In the early 20th century, unrest and subsequent regional turmoil in Greece forced hundreds of thousands of Greeks to leave their homes, often for America. A year after the Hermes Society, a Greek-American benevolent society, was formed, the Dallas Community recognized the pressing need to establish an Eastern Orthodox Church. On November 18, 1915, a charter was signed and granted to create Holy Trinity for public worship. By 1916, with the help of many donations and a loan, construction began at the Riggs Street location, the first site of Holy Trinity. There are very few records of the construction as the wood-frame structure was designed to be temporary as many Greeks in Dallas meant to return to Greece. On July 18, 1937, Holy Trinity at Riggs Street was consecrated. In the late 1930s, Archbishop Athenagoras (later Patriarch) visited Dallas. By this time, a community meeting hall was added and a nearby house served as the priest's house. During WWI and WWII, Holy Trinity contributed to the war effort through military service and services at home. Following the war, Dallas grew quickly and the church purchased property and built a new church at Swiss Avenue and Apple Street. There the church flourished, initiating and participating in numerous church and community activities, including choir, youth activities, stage productions, concerts, the annual Greek Food Festival, monthly publications and much more. In the 1990s, the church moved to this location. Through spiritual guidance, cultural celebrations and involvement in the community, Holy Trinity helped cement a successful and growing Greek population in Dallas. (2017)