St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church consecration, 1943

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church consecration, 1943

Tarpon Springs, Greek community, St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox church members and clergy at the groundbreaking for new church building

Archbishop Athenagoras and Father Karaphillis at the consecration of the new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in 1943. Chanter Vasile Faklis is on the far right behind Father Karaphillis. Completed at the height of World War II, it replaced the earlier wood frame church which had been damaged by fire and was too small for the community. The sponge industry experienced a boom during World War II as European sponge markets were closed to the U.S. and sponges were needed for the war effort. Much of the money needed to construct the church came from the spongers, who donated a percentage of their harvest to the cause, as well as through fundraising by the Greek fraternal organizations.

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Nellie Peronis Tiliakos & Magdaline Peronis Tiliakos

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1943

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