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St. Sophia Cathedral (Καθεδρικός ναός της Αγίας Σοφίας) is a Greek Orthodox church in London, England. The official name is the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Divine Wisdom (Hagia Sophia).
History of St. Sophia Cathedral
Construction on the cathedral began in 1878 and it was dedicated on February 5, 1882. Since 1922, it has been the seat of the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain. Thyateira is one of the Seven Churches of Revelation and its ruins are now located under the Turkish city of Akhisar. During World War II, the cathedral was damaged by bombs during the Blitz. A museum opened in the basement in 2006.
The cathedral was designed by British architect John Oldrid Scott (1841-1913) in the Byzantine Revival style. The iconostasis was painted by German painter Ludwig Thiersch (1825-1909).
Visiting the Cathedral
The cathedral is the focal point of the Greek and Cypriot communities in London. It’s located on Moscow Road in the Bayswater area. It’s typically open to the public on Mondays from 2pm to 4pm and on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 12:30pm.
Enthronement of Archbishop Nikitas
I was fortunate enough to attend the enthronement ceremony of Archbishop Nikitas at the cathedral on July 27, 2019. It was a historic ceremony that was attended by several hierarchs of the Orthodox Church as well as representatives from other religious denominations based in London. The ceremony also included beautiful Byzantine chanting.
Bayswater
The cathedral is located in Bayswater, which is an affluent area in the City of Westminster. It has a large Greek community as well as French, Americans, Italians, and Arabs. Bayswater is also home to London’s largest Brazilian community.
