Near Bayou St. John in New Orleans, a Greek Orthodox cathedral fills its Sunday mornings with unaccompanied voices, drifting incense and the soft flicker of candles. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral traces its roots to 1864, and its first church was the first Greek Orthodox church in the Americas.
In a city shaped by Catholic tradition, this parish has kept an ancient form of worship going for more than 150 years. Here is what to know about its story, its services and how to visit.
A Byzantine Sanctuary On Allen Toussaint Boulevard
Drive up Allen Toussaint Boulevard near Bayou St. John and you will find Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral at number 1200. The address sits in the 70122 zip code, a short hop from the green stretch of water that has shaped this corner of New Orleans for centuries.
The cathedral serves as the seat of a Greek Orthodox parish within the Metropolis of Atlanta, part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. That connection ties a New Orleans congregation to a network of churches stretching across the South and beyond…