{"nrhp_refnum":"88000957","name":"Greek Orthodox Cathedral of New England","other_names":["Church of the Evangelismos (Annunciation)"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"520 Parker St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Boston","county":"Suffolk County","state":"MA","lat":42.33652312300006,"lon":-71.09359242599999,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1988-06-30","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Art","European","Architecture","Religion"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A Greek Orthodox cathedral at 520 Parker Street, corner of Ruggles Street, in the Mission Hill area of Boston, designed in 1923 by Hachadoor S. Demoorjian and built 1923-1924 as a square, centrally planned building with four corner towers and a central dome.","why_significant":"The nomination argues it reflects Greek immigration to the United States between 1890 and 1910 and is Boston's only work by the Worcester architect Demoorjian. It combines Classical and Byzantine design in one building. Its interior is a collaboration among Ralph Adams Cram, Kenneth Conant and Charles J. Connick. It meets criteria A and C at the local level.","narrative":"Standing at the corner of Parker and Ruggles Streets in Boston's Mission Hill area, this Greek Orthodox cathedral was designed in 1923 by Worcester architect Hachadoor S. Demoorjian for the Hellenic Association of Boston. Built in 1923-1924 of buff brick with limestone trim, it has a square, centralized plan, a central copper dome, and four corner towers with smaller domes. A portico of paired Ionic columns marks the Parker Street front. The design blends Classical and Byzantine ideas, as the parish wanted a landmark for the city. Inside, the dome paintings of 1927 are by Evangelos Ionnides, and stained glass by Charles J. Connick dates from 1936, with Ralph Adams Cram as interior consultant. It served as the seat of the first Bishop of Boston and as mother church of New England's Greek parishes. It is recognized for its ties to Greek immigration and for its architecture and art.","period_of_significance":"1923-1937","architect_builder":"Hachadoor Demoorjian; Ralph Adams Cram; Charles J. Connick; Wilbur H. Burnham (architect/builder field); built by J.R. Worcester and Co.","architectural_style":"Classical Revival; Other: Byzantine (described in the text as Neo-Renaissance)","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":"Current functions are listed as religious structure, social meeting hall and church school. The text notes the altar murals were being cleaned at the time of the nomination.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:13:01.759582-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/28/7967/63796728/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MA/88000957.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/88000957/d39f8b594a-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/88000957/d39f8b594a-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Biruitorul","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AnnunciationCathedralBos.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Biruitorul</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:AnnunciationCathedralBos.JPG"},"district":null,"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/63796728","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annunciation_Greek_Orthodox_Cathedral_of_New_England","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4769774"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/massachusetts/suffolk-county/greek-orthodox-cathedral-of-new-england-88000957/"}