Highlights of the History of St. George Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church

1911, March The Syrian Orthodox Christian Society of Cleveland, Ohio, was formed and was put under the patronage of St. Nicholas of Myra.
1911, March The first Board of St. Nicholas Syrian Orthodox Society in Cleveland. Ohio and its Constitution was formed.
1911, March 10 Bishop Raphael Hawaweeny, Bishop of the Syrian Orthodox Diocese in North America, approved the proposed Constitution of the newly established St. Nicholas Syrian Orthodox Christian Society in Cleveland, Ohio.
1911, October 7 The Reverend Solomon Merhige arrived in North America coming from Shouier, Lebanon.
1911, December 1 Father Solomon was assigned to the pastorate of St. Nicholas Syrian Orthodox Christian Church in Cleveland, Ohio.
1911, Middle of December The community rented a temporary place at 636 Bolivar Road, SE. where they could worship God and perform all Divine Services.

1912, December The community decided to relocate their place of worship and they found a more suitable place to set up a church at 753 Central Avenue.
1914, October 23, 29 Bishop Raphael accompanied by Archdeacon Abo Hatab, arrived in Cleveland on a pastoral visit to St. Nicholas Syrian Orthodox Christian Church.
1914, December 1 After several requests Father Solomon was transferred from the Pastorate of St. Nicholas Church of Cleveland to the Pastorate of St. George Church in New Kensington. Pennsylvania.

1915, 1916 Visiting clergy came to Cleveland and performed the Divine Services and Sacraments. Among those clergy were Father Basil Kharbawy and Father Georges Katouf.
1915, February 27 Bishop Raphael Hawaweeny fell asleep in the Lord and was interred at his St. Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn. New York, on March 7. 1915.
1916, December Father Spiridon Massouh, from Horns, Syria, was assigned to the Pastorate of St. Nicholas Church in Cleveland. Ohio.
1919 January Father Spiridon Massouh was transferred to the Pastorate of St. George Church in Canton. Ohio.

1919-1926 The community of St. Nicholas of Cleveland, Ohio, lacked a pastor to care for them. They often neglected their religious duties, turned to other denominations, ceased to pray and receive the Sacraments. They were often blessed by visiting Clergy.
1926, November A new spirit of hope and revival was raised in the Syrian Orthodox Community of Cleveland, Members of the community presided over by Archbishop Victor Abou Assaly, of the Syrian Orthodox Diocese of North America, met at the home of Abraham Sahley, and a new chapter began in the life of the community.
1927, November With the blessing of Archbishop Victor, Father Elias M. Meena, was assigned to the Pastorate of the Syrian Orthodox Community of Cleveland, Ohio.
1927, December Arrangements were made with the leaders of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, located on West 14th and Buhrer Avenue, to share their church building on Sundays fur Divine Services.
1927, December22 The first Divine Liturgy of the Syrian Orthodox Christian Community was celebrated by Father Elias M. Meena.

1928, March 19 Initial contact was made with real estate agents to purchase a church on West 14th and Starkweather, commissioning George Gantose, Abraham Sahley and Habeeb George to handle the project.
1928, June 30 The purchase was completed for the price of $38,000.00. Co-signers of the first mortgage were: George Gantose, Joseph Hanna, George Hanna, Habeeb George, Abraham Sahley, and Nasef Salem.
1928, July 5 The church was put under the patronage of the Great Martyr George. The church keys were given to Father Elias M. Meena.
1928, November St. George Church celebrated its first Annual Thanksgiving Banquet.
1929, 1930. 1931, 1932 The community remodeled the interior of the church to resemble a Byzantine Style of Architecture. Holy icons and vessels were purchased from Jerusalem.

1933, May 7 Tragedy struck in the early hours of the morning.
1933, June 1 The parishioners of St. George Church gathered to rebuild their home. They organized teams of men, who worked in different shifts clearing the debris.
1933, December The rebuilding of the church basement was completed and remodeled, wherein the community was able to celebrate Divine Liturgy.
1934 The iconostasis was designed and constructed by David Deeb, a parishioner of St. George Church, made of dark Walnut, with inlaid Ebony, rosewood and ivory Nuggets and carvings. 52 icons were purchased from Jerusalem to adorn the iconostasis.
1935, June 9 The newly rebuilt St. George Church was consecrated by Archimandrite Antony Bashir. A new chapter in the life of St. George Church began.

1940, May St. George Church of Cleveland organized the first Sunday School in the Archdiocese. Its first Superintendent was Lillian Sahley.
1943, November 14 The mortgage for the newly constructed St. George Church was burned at a testimonial dinner at the Carter Hotel.
1951, May 27 Deacon James Meena, son of Father Elias Meena, was ordained to the priesthood at St. George Church of Cleveland.
1951 Father Elias M. Meena decided to move from Cleveland, Ohio to California.
1951-1960 St. George Church was blessed with several priests, among them Father George Simon, Father Paul Moses, Father Elias Nader and Father Thomas Skaff.
1954, November The Bishop Throne was built by David Deeb and was added to the church building.

1959, March 1 St. George Church witnessed and participated in the ordination of Deacon Philip Saliba to the priesthood by Metropolitan Antony Bashir. Father Philip Saliba was assigned to the pastorate of St. George Church of Cleveland.
1962-1963 A separate building for the Sunday School was initiated under the auspices of Father Philip Saliba.
1964, May 24 The dream of having an Educational Cultural Center came true. The Center was consecrated by Fathers Philip Saliba and Gibran Ramlaoui.
1964, September Father Philip entered St. Vladimir's Orthodox Seminary. Father George Simon, a retired priest living in Cleveland. was asked to serve in Father Philip's absence.

1966, February 15 Metropolitan Antony Bashir fell asleep in the Lord.
1966, March 16 Father Philip Saliba was nominated Archbishop of New York to succeed Metropolitan Antony Bashir.
1966, August 5 Father Philip Saliba was elected Archbishop of New York and all North America by the Holy Synod of Antioch.
1966, October Father Gibran Ramlaoui was assigned to the pastorate of St. George Church of Cleveland.

1968, November 24 The burning of the mortgage for the Educational Cultural Center & Sunday School Building took place.
1969, November 21 Father Gibran Ramlaoui was consecrated to the episcopacy, as Bishop of Australia, New Zealand and Dependencies, at St. George Church of Cleveland.
1970, February 15 Father Nicholas Vansuch was appointed by Metropolitan Philip Saliba to administer the St. George assisted by Father Elias Nader.
1970, September 1 Father James Meena was assigned to the pastorate of St. George Church of Cleveland.

1984, July Father Theodore Pulcini was assigned to the interim pastorate of St. George Church of Cleveland.
1985, August Father Malatius Hussney was assigned to the pastorate of St. George Church of Cleveland.
1988, December 8 With a vision to the future Father Malatius Hussney ignited the parish to purchase property in North Royalton, Ohio, upon which the community someday hope to build a church and a social hall.

1990, October 9 Subdeacon Yarid Sahley, a member of the community, was ordained to the Diaconate by Metropolitan Elias Kurban of Tripoli. Lebanon.
1993, November 21 Subdeacon Joseph Harb, a parishioner of St. George Church of Cleveland, was ordained to the Diaconate by Metropolitan Philip Saliba.
1994, April 1 Father Andre Issa was assigned to the pastorate of St. George Church of Cleveland.

1994, September 25 Under the auspices of Father Andre Issa the community decided to undertake the renovation of the church facilities.
1994, November 1 The project of renovation began with painting and updating The temple of St. George Church of Cleveland.
1995, May The kitchen of St. George Church, "The Kitchen of our Beloved" dedicated to our departed ones, was remodeled.
1996, February The remodeling of the church hall started. 1996, October 11, the remodeling of the new hall was completed.

1996, April 28 The Rudolph J. George Memorial Library was dedicated. Through the generosity of Evonne George and her children St. George Church of Cleveland received its first Christian Library.
1996, November22 The newly remodeled church Hall was dedicated by Metropolitan Philip and was named "Yarid's Hall."
1996, November 22-24 St. George Church of Cleveland celebrated its 85th anniversary presided over by Metropolitan Philip.
1997, November 16 The newly remodeled "Georgian Hall," (the old gymnasium) was dedicated by Bishop Demetri.
1998, July Dedication of new Church School Chapel and Theater.
2001, July Dedication of new Baptistry in memory of George Thomas.
2001, November 18 35th Anniversary Celebration of His Eminence, The Most Reverend Metropolitan PHILIP to the Holy Episcopacy, with the dedication of METROPOLITAN HALL. Only hall dedicated to His Eminence in the Archdiocese.
2002, March 17 Remodeled altar and solea in memory of Edna Simon.

2005, February 1 Father Stephen Ziton was assigned to pastorate of St. George Church.
2006, August 1 Very Rev. Fr. John Ojaimi was assigned to pastorate of St. George Church.