The Path to the Construction of the Church

The construction of the church of St. George represents the official recognition of the Orthodox Faith in Venice and the commitment of the Greek brotherhood to maintain its identity in a multicultural society. The building of the church remains to this day an important historical and cultural monument, which houses important ecclesiastical relics and valuable icons.

The path followed by the newly settled Greeks in Venice regarding the free exercise of their religious rights was complicated and time-consuming. Initially, the colonists were restricted to worshiping only in private places, since Orthodox priests were considered schismatic by the Venetian authorities.

After the Council of Florence, in 1439, the Greeks managed to obtain the permission to celebrate Masses in Catholic churches, especially in the holy church of St. Vlasios, under the supervision of the Latin clergy. The contribution of Cardinal Isidore, Metropolitan of Kiev, was a catalyst for the Orthodox Greeks of Galinotati, who applied for the purchase of land in order to build an Orthodox church.

The first licence was granted by the Venetian Senate in 1456, but it was revoked by a decision of the Council of Ten. In 1470, a new decision of the same body restricted religious services to the church of St. Vlasius only. This development is interpreted as a measure of political control on the part of the Venetian state towards a large foreign community living in their city.

Sigil Sixtou D': "Concession of the chapel of Agia Ursula"