I’ve never noticed this church next to Hyde Park until Kat sent in this picture. Kat says…
The attached neglected (but I believe, still used) church of some obscure denomination wouldn’t be nearly as bizarre if not for the location. Right next to lush, leafy Hyde Park. On the southern side. Very strange, it looks like something from an industrial estate.Oh so that’s the door of Teh Lord. The inscription looks like liquid paper to me.
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The Asia Beat
The Worst of Perth 
It’s Greek Orthodox. I used to live in the flats next door. At Easter they did the parade down Glendower St at midnight wearing KKK style hoods with ghoulish chanting, bearing crosses etc. Creepy.
There used to be another cult outfit a few doors down, the headquarters of the Theosophy Society or something? Prime real estate was once so cheap niche religious groups could afford it.
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I think theosophy still there.
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“This is the door of the Lord. All you unwashed mortals can use the service entrance.”
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AO?
Does that mean no kids?
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Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.
I quite like how loved the church obviously is, as evidenced by the large amount of dying weeds surrounding it. Maybe those are what the “omega” refers to.
I just don’t understand why the words above the door of a Greek Orthodox church are written in Arabic.
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Alpha and Omega ie, No tyre kickers.
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“I quite like how loved the church obviously is, as evidenced by the large amount of dying weeds surrounding it.”
I don’t think those weeds are dying so much as dead – bringing that lot back to life would be a loaves and fishes level miracle. If ever a church needed a Busy Bee, this is it.
Still, it is Greek Orthodox. That would certainly explain the preponderance of concrete paving. I also like the fact that they have two letterboxes – I guess the lower one is for the rear door user.
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Or a postie in a wheelchair.
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Satan would have to be in the form of a serpent to access that mailbox. Adding this to worst mailbox category too. Hadn’t seen that lower box before.
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“this is the door of the lord” the bricks? Well they’re from midland.
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Maybe the A and O are like the doors in a restaurant kitchen. Go in one side and out the other. That way the devout parishioners going in will not be knocked down by the disillusioned heathens desperately trying to get out.
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“Church of the Blessed Obscure Denomination” now thats got a nice ring to it…..! “Get thee behind my back door satan!!”
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What a disgrace.
But does anyone remember where the Theosophical Society used to be?
It would belong on a blog called The Best of Perth.
Unfortunately, it was obliterated to create the Alexander Library Building. But maybe the theosophists were glad to go – many of us who worked in the ALB thought it such a bad experience that the only explanation could be that it was built on an old aboriginal graveyard – cursed!
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Is that brick cladding?
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No, it’s not, but I have got a classic brick cladding pic for when I get round to it.
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While I was living in Yarraville in Melbourne the Greek community built a new church and the crowning glory was gleaming white neon cross that you could see from the Westgate Bridge at night… classic.
I’ve always found the Salvation Army headquarters to be quite the tan brick eyesore – great thermal qualities those bricks, but not much eye candy appeal.
Speaking of which, I met the guy who’s responsible for all those multi-story pale brick monoliths that were popular in the 1960s… he’s actually very proud of his achievements!
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The Salvos, which I have a pic of, used to be TAIMAC, video production facilities. Sort of downgraded to be a religious fortress.
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If it’s Greek, why does it have writing in Arabic? Looks more like Coptic Christian to me.
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I don’t know, I never looked at it up close. I’m probably wrong – I just remember sitting on the balcony late one night in about 1990 thinking I was halucinating when I saw the KKK dragging a cross down the street and someone said knowledgeably ‘Greek Orthodox’ as they passed the joint.
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Greek Orthodox? Isn’t that oxymoron?
Another nominee from the Hellenic Community is the copper-topped abomination at the corner of Charles and Carr Streets. With its soaring gravel-coated spires and its big circles of stained glass, it sports its bling with a hairy-chested insolence. Ironically, there is a beautiful little church 100 metres closer to the freeway, about 120 years old but now full of 1980s government furniture.
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Alas, soon to be another Vanished Worst, it would appear.
http://www.vincent.wa.gov.au/1/393/1/agendas__minute.pm
I wonder if the doors are for sale…
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Jeez, the whole city will be vanished worst soon. I didn’t know which item you referred to, but it’s being flogged as apartments I guess? Satan moves in not mysterious at all ways.
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Correct – the item is on Page 42. Still, it appears there was previously a demolition licence that was never acted upon, so maybe we have our answer – the Greek Orthodox are the Chosen.
But fear not, if I know my Perth architecture, it’s a better than even chance there will be a shiny new Worst to take its place.
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Looking at it again 6 months after posting, it is a pile of crap, but sure to be superior to new worst.
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Pingback: Satan wins Church Battle « The Worst of Perth
Not Greek Orthodox. Malachite or something like that. But it will be demolished for sure and replaced by as many townhouses as can be fitted on.
The theosophists are still in Glendower St a bit to the east.
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The sign above the door states clearly that this was the Church of St Andrew the Apostle Melkite Catholic Church. A few years ago the congregation moved to the Roman Catholic Church of All Hallows in Central Avenue Inglewood. The old property has had a For Sale sign up for some time now. The critics will be interested to know that the weeds are still doing well!
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Thanks for the update Ted.
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Surely TLA could buy this church with his TWOP millions….
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I’m guessing Lebanese Christian, Maronite anyone ?
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Hi all, I am one of those associated with this “obscure denomination”. I am a Melkite Catholic, and the owner of this property is none other than the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Perth. The former priest of this parish is now an assistant priest at St. Brigid’s Church in Northbridge. Melkite Catholics are a part of the Catholic Church and uses the Byzantine Rite commonly associated with the Greek Orthodox.
The Melkite Catholics are remnants of the early Church of Antioch as described in Acts 11:26. Antioch was the city where the early Christians were called as such. While this easily establishes Antioch as the first Christian community, it is not rosy as it seems. In 451 AD, a disagreement arose over the humanity of Christ. This led to 2 factions of Antioch, currently known as the Syriac Orthodox Church. Those who followed the Byzantine emperor who believed in Jesus as both Man and God were known as “Melkites” or “vasilikos”. It was during this time that an interesting spiritual movement also developed, which is now commonly known as the Maronite Catholic Church.
Over the years, the Antiochian Church was affected by Mamluk, Seljuk, and even Latin invasion. However, the Melkites (including the Maronites) had always remained faithful to Rome. Even during the Great Schism which saw the split between Rome and Constantinople, thus making “Catholic” and “Orthodox” arbitrary names for Rome and Constantinople, Antioch was the one that pushed for reconciliation between the 2.
However, Antioch did not last long after that as Ottoman invasion soon took over, and saw to the sack of the earliest Christian community; thus relieving Antioch of its legal status and subjecting all Melkite Catholics to the care of the Patriarch of Constantinople. The Maronites by then, were an established institution of their own.
It was during this time that the Church of Antioch had moved its base to Damascus and adopted the Byzantine rite, commonly used by Greek Orthodox. It was in 1724 however, that 2 monk-bishops, Aftimios Saifi, and Seraphim Tanas decided that it was time to stand by their convictions. This affirmation of communion with the Roman Catholic Church was seen as treason by the Ottomans and the Greeks, which quickly installed a Greek patriarch of Antioch. The Arabs did the same, and theirs was recognised by the Pope. This immediately saw the reestablishment of the Antiochian Church, albeit under a different name. This of course, also established a (Greek) Orthodox Church of Antioch, which had Greek bishops until 1899, when it decided to start electing Arab bishops. Ever since then, the Antiochian Greek Orthodox Church and the Melkite Greek Catholic Church have been running in parallel with one another.
The relationships however, are not as tense as it would seem. Compared to Rome and Constantinople, both the Antiochian Orthodox and Catholic patriarchates seem to have a better working relationship in the Middle East; where they share the same church buildings. It is common in the Middle East to have children where some will be Orthodox, or some will be Catholic. While this may reek of sectarianism to some, this is diversity in the Middle East. In fact, most of the attendees of this Melkite Catholic parish in Perth are Greek Orthodox from Lebanon, Syria, Egypt etc.
I hope that this will shed some light on who we are. We are not an obscure denomination, as we are one of the early Christians, and we hold a richness that you will never find in the Christian West. We may have been marred by civil wars, but an institution is merely a name. In spirit, we are that one Church of Antioch.
Sincerely,
Collin
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Yes you are, Collin. And good luck with that richness.
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Bugger. Wrong email address.
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And what’s the churches position on gardening Collin?
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I don’t know. The property has apparently been sold but looks like the new owners have not done anything about it.
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Sheds too much light if anything Col. Another worst connection is that northbridge st brigids shut down the excellent Fitzgerald Hotel.
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I did not know that. I just taught it was always there just because the building was old. Plus, even if it was there, I wouldn’t be old enough to know. Just go to the Queen’s on Beaufort St or Paddo’s. The beer’s still good there.
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You mean to say that it’s your mob who helped spread the load of messianic bullshit that pervades society and and represses the better qualities in humanity?
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I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about mate, as I’m only here to tell you my side of the story, how this building is associated to me, and the history about it all. It’s sure as hell not some obscure denomination, but at least its better than that legalistic and soulless Western Christianity that Western civilisation had to endure.
But on another note, I’m sorry if you’ve been affected by Christians, because I’d say that WASPs and Irish Catholics annoy me as much they have to all of you, but I don’t know what my Middle Eastern Melkite Catholic friends have done to offend you. Furthermore, this topic is about the building, not my faith.
If you have a lot to say about the messianic bullshit that I believe in, do start a blog and list down all the horrible things that we’ve done to YOU and we’ll go from there. Thank you.
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Vastly superior trolling than of late.
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Indeed, NF#1.
Though it would take many tomes to contain the history of the evil that religions have done, and that others have done in the name of religion.
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i want to bee part of you i need ,long life, and famous,i will do any thing just to bee with you.
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Awsome door of the lord and it would funny to see Satan go in it.
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