Greek Orthodox Community of Leeds
60th Anniversary of the First Liturgy
The Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church, Leeds
60 Years of Faith, Heritage & Community – A Blessed Anniversary
On Sunday, 1 February 2026, The Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church in Leeds celebrated a truly historic moment — the 60th Anniversary of the first Divine Liturgy, originally held on 30 January 1966.
The service was beautifully presided over by His Grace Bishop Raphael of Ilios, who honoured us with his presence and blessings. We also offer our sincere thanks to our dedicated parish chanters, whose reverent hymnology helped uplift the prayerful spirit of the celebration. Our church was full to the brim as we welcomed our congregation along with a number of specially invited guests.
Following the Divine Liturgy, our Greek School children delighted everyone with the traditional Three Hierarchs Day presentation, filling the church with pride and joy. A number of our honoured guests were also presented with a special keepsake — an icon of the Three Hierarchs — in commemoration of the occasion.
During the celebration, the swearing in of all committees took place, including the Executive Committee, the School Committee, and the Ladies Auxiliary, marking the beginning of another two years of dedicated service to our community.
After the service, over 160 guests enjoyed a complimentary festal two course lunch in the community hall, prepared by Mr Jason Kavazy and his team of volunteers, featuring salmon, potatoes, salad and traditional Greek desserts — a warm and joyous gathering for all.
We were honoured to welcome distinguished guests including:
• The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Dan Cohen, and the Lady Mayoress, Elayna
• The Consul General of Greece in UK, Mr Alexandros Ioannidis
• Former Mayors of Leeds, Councillor Eileen Taylor
• Former Mayors of Leeds, Councillor Jane Dowson
• Mr Fabian Hamilton, MP for Leeds North East
• The Honorary Consul of Greece in Leeds, Mrs Eleftheria Gkortzi Giannoudi
• The Honorary Consul for the Republic of Cyprus, Mr Charles Kyriacou
• Head of the Cyprus Educational Mission, Mrs Maria Loi
Our guests were hosted on behalf of the Greek Orthodox Community of Leeds by Father Michael (Priest in Charge); Mr Kostas Karakousis (Chairman); Mr Barry Paschali (Chair of the Trustees); and Dr Anna Trakoli (Chair of the Greek School).
It was a joyous, well organised and deeply meaningful day, filled with gratitude — gratitude to our founders, our past committees, our volunteers and all who have worked tirelessly over the decades to keep our community strong and our beautiful church thriving.
This 60th Anniversary marks a momentous chapter in our history and stands as a testament to the enduring faith, unity and love that bind our Leeds Greek Orthodox community together.
May we continue to grow in faith and fellowship for many years to come.
Χρόνια Πολλά σε όλους!
