History

Saint George Greek Orthodox Church of Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood was established in 1923 by Greek immigrants who, through the gifts of faith and determination, had built new lives on the city's north side and now sought a permanent home for their growing Orthodox Christian community.

The community found that home in a Gothic Revival building constructed in 1886 at 2701 North Sheffield Avenue, originally built as a Lutheran church. Through the faith and resourcefulness of these new Americans, the building was purchased and adapted for Orthodox Christian worship, and services were held there beginning in April 1923, the formal start of parish life at the Sheffield Avenue location that the congregation calls home to this day. The building's lancet arches, buttresses, and stained glass, designed for an entirely different liturgical tradition, were given new sacred purpose by the Greek Orthodox community that took up residence within its walls.

Saint George stands today as one of the oldest Greek Orthodox parishes in the Chicagoland area, a distinction that reflects both the early date of its founding and the continuity of its presence at the same Lincoln Park location for more than a century. The parish has long been known for its annual Lincoln Park Greek Fest, a beloved community tradition that draws visitors from across Chicago for Greek food, music, dance, and craft fair offerings each summer.

Saint George Greek Orthodox Church at 2701 North Sheffield Avenue in Chicago serves the Orthodox Christian faithful of the Lincoln Park neighborhood as a parish of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago within the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, an important center for worship and fellowship for parishioners and friends from throughout the greater Chicago area.