A Brief History

As the number of Greeks in Toronto expanded rapidly after the war during the 50's and 60's, the need arose for a new Greek Orthodox Church in the west end of Toronto.  In 1961, on the recommendation of His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras (Kokkinakis) of Elaia, an offer of purchase was made to the former North Parkdale United Church congregation, located at the corner of Sorauren and Galley Avenues in west Toronto. A Building Fund Drive for the collection of monies was initiated on July 21st and continued for only one week until July 28th 1961.  With the help and the generosity of all the Omogenia of Toronto, $50,000 was raised in just one week for the downpayment of the new Church.  Although the asking price was $225,000, the offer of the Greek Community of Toronto for $160,000 was accepted, and the deed of ownership was signed on the important religious date of August 15th 1961.  

The Opening of the Doors Church Service (Thyranoixia) was held on Sunday July 16th 1961, presided by His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of Elaia, assisted by the two Community Priests, Father George Demopoulos and Father John Koulouras.  Many important dignitaries were in attendance at this first service, including the Ambassador of Greece to Canada, His Excellency Mr. Ioannis Kalergis;  the Greek Consul General in Toronto, the Honourable Michael Dountas;  and the entire Greek Omogenia of Toronto, who came together to celebrate this most important event in the life of the Greek Community.  As the Church deed was signed on August 15th 1961, the day on which the Greek Orthodox Church celebrates the Dormition of the Theotokos - the most important Feastday of the Virgin Mary - the Church Council unanimously decided to honour the new Church with the name "PANAGIA", (meaning "ALL-HOLY").  It was also decided that the Church would celebrate its Nameday on the two Feasts of the Koimisis (Dormition) of the Virgin Mary on August 15th as well as the Evangelismos (Annunciation) of the Virgin Mary on March 25th.  It was also announced that regular Church Services would start on Sunday September 24th 1961, where the giving of the Name "Panagia" was liturgically celebrated with the Divine Liturgy and Paraklesis to the Virgin Mary.  Instrumental to the raising of funds was the first Parish Council President, Mr. Peter Palmer, and the first Philoptochos President, Mrs. Ourania Granitsaris.  Father George Demopoulos was appointed as the first Parish Priest.

The Panagia Church has celebrated many important historical events in its 65-year history. The Church building was solemnly consecrated with the Engainia Ceremony on Sunday May 5th 1963 by His Eminence Metropolitan Athenagoras of Elaia.  To commemorate this occasion, 2,000 keys were issued to the founding members, honoured with the title "Kleidiouchos", with the dates of purchase and consecration embossed on them.  In a letter dated November 14th 1967, His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos of North and South America announced to the congregation that the Panagia Church of Toronto was being elevated to the status of a Cathedral Church for the 9th Archdiocesan District of Canada, whose inauguration would be celebrated by the new Titular Bishop Theodosios (Sideris) of Ancona upon his arrival in Canada.  

In another letter dated March 21st 1979, His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos announced that His Grace Bishop Sotirios (Athanasoulas) of Constantia, was elected as the first Bishop of Toronto by the Holy Synod of Constantinople, and that his enthronement would take place at the Cathedral Church of the Annunciation (Panagia) on Tuesday May 8th 1979.  When Canada was elevated to a Metropolis in July of 1996, the Holy Synod of Constantinople also elected the former Bishop Sotirios of Toronto as the first ruling Metropolitan Archbishop of Toronto (Canada), and his Enthronement Liturgy was celebrated at the Annunciation Cathedral of Panagia on Sunday September 29 1996, in the presence of five bishops, 35 Priests, and over 2,000 people.

The Church of Panagia has known days of glory and joyous celebration, but also days of heart-breaking sorrow. On the morning of April 3rd 2000, the interior of the Church was entirely gutted by fire, and this necessitated that services be re-located to the Community Center in the back of the Church.  The Greek Community of Toronto, under its then President Costas Menegakis, immediately responded to this tragedy by starting a Re-construction Fund for Panagia. The Greek Orthodox Omogenia of Greater Toronto earnestly responded by donating over $1.5 Million Dollars for the reconstruction of their beloved Church.  It was decided to entrust the architectural plans for the new Church to one of the foremost Greek Orthodox Architects in America, Archon Christos Kamages of CJK Design & Sacred Space Studio of San Francisco California – a firm that specializes in traditional Byzantine Church Architecture based on the Byzantine Churches of the Balkans and Asia Minor.  The construction of the Cathedral was spear-headed by Archon Lazaros (Larry) Mirkopoulos and his team of the Horizon General Contractors Company in Toronto.  As he famously said, the rebuilding of Panagia was a “labour of love” by all who were involved in resurrecting the Cathedral from the ashes. The story of the Reconstruction of the Church after the fire is told in the mini-documentary “Rising From the Ashes: The Renovation of the Church of Panagia” that was produced in 2025 and can be accessed here.

After 18 months of construction, the beautiful new Cathedral of Panagia opened again on the 27th of June 2002 with the Thyranoixia – the “Opening of the Doors” Service - presided by His Eminence Archbishop Sotirios of Canada, assisted by all the Greek Orthodox Clergy of Toronto.  The new Church was blessed with the celebration of the first Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the new Church! In the first year, the new Church furnishings from Greece and the new Icons were installed.  The famous firm of Stylianos Kavroulakis Wood-Carving Studio of Chania Crete was commissioned to produce the beautiful hand-carved Icon-Screen, the Altar Table, the Cantor’s Stand, the Bishop’s Throne along with the Pangaria and Ceremonial Tables.  The Iconography in the Apse of the Altar as well as the Icons on the Ikonostasis were painted the late Master Iconographer Father Theodore Koufos.  The decorative windows have recently been completed and plans are underway for the painting of the Grand Dome with the Pantocrator Icon of Christ in Majesty! 

Panagia was the first Greek Orthodox Church in Canada to Live Stream its Services since the reconstruction of the Church, starting in 2003.  This ministry has been successful in reaching the numerous shut-ins and the elderly who are able to participate virtually in the rich Liturgical Services of our Church.  The Live Broadcasts of Services were especially useful during the Covid Lockdown in 2020-2022.  From the early broadcasts with one security camera set up in the Church, the Cathedral has now gone to using 7 high-definition cameras.  Panagia has its own YouTube Channel, where all Services can be accessed from the following link: YouTube Channel  Services from 2014 to the present are now archived on this Channel, and all of Fr. Peter’s Sunday Sermons in Greek and English can be accessed 24/7.

The Panagia Church has been served by some of the most dedicated, distinguished and well educated Priests of our Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Canada.  The first Priest was Father George Demopoulos, who served from 1961 - 1964.  The second Priest was Father Constantine Andreou, who served from 1964 - 1990.  Both these Clergyman were graduates of the famous Greek Orthodox Theological School of Halki of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.  Upon Father Costas' retirement, Father Apostolos Ananiadis served as the third Priest from 1990 - 1996.  He was a graduate of the Theological School of the University of Athens and former Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Canada.  Upon Father Apostolos' retirement, Father Peter Avgeropoulos was appointed as of September1st 1996, and has the distinction of being the first Canadian-born Priest  to serve in the Greek Orthodox Church of Canada.  He is also the long-serving Clergyman of Panagia!  

Compiled from the Archives of Panagia by Fr. Peter Avgeropoulos – November 2025