Denomination: ORTHODOX

St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church
555-575 Jean Talon East, Montreal (Quebec) H2R 1T8


Photo: St. Geor. Ant. Ort. Church 		he Immigrant church: 1898
As the influx of immigrants from Syria and Lebanon poured into North America during the last years of the 19th century, the spiritual needs of the small orthodox community in Montreal began to grow.
any of these settlers arrived without family, education or money. They were armed only with a strong pride in their homeland and confidence in God to build a good life in the New World. They gathered together to worship in various homes or rented halls, and felt a growing need to establish a formal community of faithful. In the words of one old-timer, "We begin to think to build a church".
At this time, the Syrian Orthodox faithful in North America and Canada were under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Moscow which appointed Father Ephraim Deeds and Rt. Rev. Malatius Karroum to serve the immigrant church in Montreal. Most of the people emigrated from the Lebanese villages of Rashaya, Ein Hersha, Sheba and Zahle; hence, in 1903 Father George Mahfouz arrived in Montreal to shepherd the flock because he was originally from Rashaya and was able to understand the needs of the immigrants.

he factory church: 1905
Early in 1905, the parishioners led by Father Mahfouz decided to acquire and remodel an abandoned factory at 270 Vitre Street East. This was the beginning of St. George Church. Known as "St. Nicholas Syrian Orthodox Church of Montreal", the renovated church accommodated about 100 people and includes a choir loft as well as facilities for a church school.


Photo: St. Geor. Ant. Ort. Church 		n June 4, 1910, an act to incorporate the "Saint Nicholas Syrian Orthodox Church of Montreal" was assented to by the Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Quebec.
The persons incorporating the church were listed as follows: the Reverend Aftimios Ofiesh, Chaheen Aboud, Essa Boosamra, Salim Boosamra, Najeed Tabah, Fahad Tabah, Mansour Shatilla and Michael Ziegayer, and all other persons who may become members, are hereby constituted a corporation under the name of the "Saint Nicholas Syrian Orthodox Church of Montreal."
The name of the Corporation was officially changed to "St. George Orthodox Church of Montreal" on May 17, 1940 by special letters patent.

Photo: St. Geor. Ant. Ort. Church 		ontreal was very much involved in the changes taking place in the church, and very much in the centre of the controversy which raged intermittently. From 1931 to 1936, discussions took place on a possible merger between the two Montreal parishes, but the merger never took place. This was a difficult period for the Montreal church. There had been a fire at Saint Nicholas Church on Notre Dame street, and problems related to choosing a location for the church together with the economic and jurisdictional problems caused dissension. Finally, even though Saint George had a separate corporate existence, it chose, under the guidance of Rev. Macarios Moore, to be placed under the jurisdiction of the patriarchate of Antioch and its reigning hierarchs in 1934, and to pledge allegiance to Patriarch Alexander III. Thus the unity question was resolved for a time in the Montreal churches.

owever, dissension arose the following year over the choice of a successor to Archbishop Victor Abou-Assaley. The Parish of St. Nicholas had voted for Samuel David, but eventually accepted the election of Anthony Bashir. David's supporters in Montreal, however, wanted to ensure that he could continue to celebrate the liturgy at Saint Nicholas Church, even though the church was in the Archdiocese of New York and All America, not Toledo. Though the efforts of Fr. Michael Zarbatany, an arrangement was made to allow Bishop Samuel to come, and he was a frequent visitor to Montreal.
In 1936, the parish which became known as Saint George built a new church on Jean Talon Street, the geographic heart of its community, and in 1949, a new church was constructed for the Parish of Saint Nicholas at the corner of de Castelnau and St. Dominique Streets.

he two Montreal churches jointly hosted two of the biggest and most successful Archdiocesan Conventions ever held, one in 1956 and the other in 1974. In 1956, both Metropolitan Antony and Metropolitan David were present and affirmed the unity agreement promulgated in 1955.
In 1956, Archimandrite Michael Shaheen was appointed pastor of Saint George Orthodox Church of Montreal. In 1960, he and the pastor of Saint Nicholas Church, Theodore Ziton, together celebrated the first nationally televised Orthodox Church service, almost entirely in English.

Text: St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church

astor of St. George's since 1976, Archpriest Anthony Gabriel has been known for a number of things. Among them are his work on the radio and in other media to make Orthodoxy (and Christianity in general) better known, his efforts to help more than 10,000 immigrants from the Middle East (of various religious allegiances) integrate into Canadian society, and his scholarly writing and teaching.
In his view, emigration to North America has not sapped the vitality of the Antochian Church in the Middle East but rather has strengthened it from outside:
"The church in North America has played and continues to play a vital part in the metamorphosis of the Antochian Church... The single most important contribution made by these pilgrims to new shores was the Orthodox faith…Liturgy was the outward expression of communion with God and their own sense of community and unity, the manifestation of deep-rooted faith…Without the so-called intellectual tools of their western counterparts, the easterner found solace and renewal in the bosom of the church. The sensual ambience of the Orthodox temple with the total involvement of the senses during the divine services impacted in the minds and hearts of the laity the living tradition of their ancient faith…The Antochian Church is unique among other Orthodox churches, a bridge from North American life to them. The reality of the Antochian Orthodox and American way of life, yet a spiritual rallying point for its members through the liturgy and its leaders."
Text: Harvey Shepherd, Trials and tribulations, Priest chronicles the 105-year history of the Antochian Orthodox in North America, The Gazette, Montreal, December 13, 1997.
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