History of Saint George Greek Orthodox Church
A Miracle in the Desert
In 1978 a small group of Orthodox faithful who had come to know one another socially began lamenting the absence of a Greek Orthodox church in the Coachella Valley. Before long, they met with the primary objective of establishing a Mission Parish. Upon receiving the blessings of the Bishop of San Francisco, these first parishioners began meeting for worship services in various locations throughout the Coachella Valley. Eventually, as the membership grew and became better organized, a visiting priest was assigned to conduct services every Sunday. The first Divine Liturgy in Palm Desert was held at St. Margaret Episcopal Church.
In 1983 the first elected Parish Council met under the authority of His Eminence, Metropolitan Anthony (Bishop of San Francisco). Their goal was to find a permanent home for the mission parish. This search culminated with the purchase of a 2600 square foot office building, the current site of Saint George on Larrea Street in Palm Desert.
In 1990 Bishop Anthony elevated the mission to a fully chartered parish. The naming of the parish was done through the participation of the parishioners who bid by donation for the final choice. Thus, it became honored with the name, St. George Greek Orthodox Church of the Desert. Fr. Theophilos was appointed the interim pastor.
In 1991 Fr. James Tavlarides was assigned as the first permanent priest of the newly chartered parish. Over the next few years, it became evident that a larger facility was needed to accommodate the fast-growing community. After exploring many options, the parish agreed to tear down the old structure and build a new church. Fr. Tavlarides was optimistic that a new church in the Coachella Valley would provide future growth for those who were raised in the Greek Orthodox faith.
The invaluable experience of Fr. Tavlarides in the building of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Phoenix, Arizona greatly assisted in the successful completion of the construction of the building and of the growth of the Saint George parish.
In 1994 a local architect, Charles L. Martin, was commissioned to design the new church. Upon completion of the plans, Mr. Martin, also a general contractor, brought in an acceptable bid on the project.
In 1996, Phase 1, the construction of the present Saint George Greek Orthodox Church began. The church structure was completed fourteen months later and came in under budget. The 8,360 square foot structure with its whitewashed stucco exterior was built in the style of ancient Byzantine architecture. The church, its bell tower and four-foot Byzantine Cross atop a large gold tiled dome was designed to resemble the small chapels that dot the landscape of many Greek Islands.
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In 1997, Phase 2, was initiated. The Building Committee commissioned Mr. Bruno Salvatore of Pietrasanta, Italy to create the beautiful mosaics and iconostasion which adorn the Church.
In1999, in recognition of the beauty of the church building, the City of Palm Desert presented the Saint George parish with a permanent award for its outstanding contribution to desert beautification. Charles L. Martin, architect and contractor said, “I produced a physical building that is the essence of the Greek Orthodox religion. It is not my invention; it is their church.”
In 2004 Metropolitan Anthony celebrated the rite of the Consecration of Saint George Greek Orthodox Church.
St. Gerasimos Shrine at St. George Greek Orthodox Church
St. Gerasimos of Cephalonia (1506-1579) is the patron saint of the Greek island of Cephalonia. He was born into the aristocratic Notaras family and was ordained as a monk at Mount Athos. Gerasimos spent 12 years in Jerusalem before moving to Crete.
He eventually returned to Cephalonia, where he lived a life of asceticism and prayer. The saint’s tomb is located in the Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos (“New Jerusalem”) in Valsamata, Cephalonia, where he passed away on August 15, 1579.
St. Gerasimos’ nameday is celebrated on August 16th, but his remains were found to be intact when his tomb was opened in 1851. This led to additional celebrations on October 20th, as well as the re-opening of his tomb on August 20, 1852.
This relic of St. Gerasimos, a slipper, was given to Eva Canakis, whose father served as the priest of the village in Cephalonia. She in turn, gifted it to our parish. It is located on the left side of the church's narthex.
In 2011, His Eminence, Metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco, dedicated the relic to our parish.
Legacy
As the patron saint of Cephalonia, St. Gerasimos is revered by the local population. He is remembered for his life of devotion, prayer, and asceticism, and his legacy continues to inspire pilgrims and visitors to the island of Cephalonia.
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As Father James Tavlarides said,
“Our beautiful church, A Miracle in the Desert occurred because it was the will of the Lord who worked through dedicated parishioners, builders, and the Palm Desert Planning Commission to make our dream become a reality.”
A church is not just a building but a place of worship. Saint George Greek Orthodox Church is a testament to the faith of the dedicated donors whose gifts, many of them substantial, came forth to make the building a reality.
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Architect and Contractor of St. George Greek Orthodox Church - Charles L. Martin
Iconographer of St. George Greek Orthodox Church - Bruno Salvatore of Pietrasanta, Italy