On Friday, January 23, the Pontifical University of St. Ieronymos in Havana hosted a commemorative event dedicated to the history of the Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas. The church, located in the historic center of Cuba’s capital, was constructed by the Cuban State and gifted to the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew by the late Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
The event included a detailed presentation on the stages of the church’s construction and its architectural design. Representing the Mother Church and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop Makarios of Australia, who is on an official visit to Cuba, attended the event as part of the 20th-anniversary celebrations of the church’s inauguration.
The presentation was delivered by Bishop Athenagoras of Myrina and renowned Civil Engineer Pedro Rodriguez Sanchez, supported by audiovisual material showcasing the church’s history and design.
The audience included prominent figures such as Metropolitan Iakovos of Mexico, Bishop Timotheos of Assos, and the representative of the Cuban government, Leira Sánchez Valdivia. During the event, Archbishop Makarios expressed gratitude on behalf of the Ecumenical Patriarchate for the Cuban people’s generous donation of the church in 2004 and for the continued support of the Cuban State to the Orthodox faithful in the country.
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
