The chronicle of the construction of the Cathedral

Architectural Design

As a result of its people’s reverence for their glorious patron saint and their desire to build a church worthy of the greatness of the Protoclete Apostle, in 1902, the city of Patras announced an international competition for the architectural design of the Cathedral of Saint Andrew. At the dawn of the 20th century (1902) the city of Patras announced an International Competition

Greek and foreign architects submitted 32 designs and only 8 qualified for consideration by the Berlin Academy of Arts. The first prize went to Emile Robert’s design. On 27/11/1904 the church building committee confirmed the result and subsequently made adjustments to the design, including the removal of the basement areas, citing financial reasons.

Even before the foundation of the Cathedral, there were reactions and strong criticism against this inspired and truly imposing design, as it was considered to be inconsistent with the Orthodox Byzantine tradition. It was understandable that the French engineer who prepared the design was influenced by Western tradition.

In 1907, following the approval of Robert's modified design by the Greek public services, the first tender for the construction of the foundation was announced. On 1 June 1908, the foundation stone was laid by King George I. However, the subsequent auction scheduled for 20 April 1914, was cancelled due to the elections of 9 February 1914, which resulted in the removal of Mayor Dimitrios Votsis, who had originally tendered the project.

The reorganisation of the financials for the church was further delayed by the First World War, the Asia Minor Catastrophe, the ensuing economic recession etc. Amid these challenges, the first meeting for the continuation of the church's construction took place on 4 February 1926, albeit with bleak prospects and financial resources. Anastasios Metaxas, the project engineer, raised concerns regarding material cost (carved stones etc.) and proposed the construction of reinforced concrete cast walls, as well as the review of the foundation soil. The Corinth earthquake of April 1928 further emphasised the need to amend the design and build the church with new materials.

Construction

Thus, in 1932, it was decided to remove the existing structures and rebuild the church with reinforced concrete. By the spring of 1933, the designs had been completed, and by the autumn of 1936, under the contractor Kostopoulos, the central part of the church was constructed up to the ring at the base of the dome. In 1937, the supervising engineer Anastasios Metaxas passed away, putting the construction of the church to a halt for 20 years.

During this period, the Restoration Service of the Ministry of Education, under the direction of the Professor of the National Technical University of Athens, Anastasios Orlandos, proposed a change to shape of the domes to better reflect “the Byzantine style”, a recommendation endorsed by the Church Building Committee.

In 1938, the building committee commissioned the architect Zachos to revise the design. However, Zachos later lost his sight, and the outbreak of World War II further hindered progress.

In 1948, the Ministry of Education announced an architectural competition, and the design submitted by Georgios Nomikos was awarded a prize. Nevertheless, widespread disapproval from the local community regarding the Ministry's actions and decisions forced the authorities, on 21 October 1950, to allow the continuation of Robert’s original design, with only minor modifications.

The ambitious scope of the project, combined with limited financial resources, contributed to prolonged delays. However, the magnitude of the project was not beyond the capacity of Patras, even for the city population at the time. As a result, the central dome was built in 1934. Up to the early 1960s, only the massive central dome stood, visibly dominating the skyline from across the Patraikos Gulf. In 1955, at the initiative of the late Metropolitan Theoklitos of Patras, the State introduced a special 10 drachmas levy on electricity consumption for the residents of Patras, which allowed the construction of the church to resume at a much faster pace. Meanwhile, Robert’s original architectural plan had been modified by church architect Georgios Nomikos to align with Byzantine tradition.

Consecration

The Cathedral was consecrated in a magnificent ceremony on 26 September 1974: 10 years after the retrieval of the head of Saint Andrew - 1964), and 66 years after its original foundation by the late Metropolitan Nikodimos of Patras. The ceremony was presided over by the Archbishop of Athens, Seraphim, and concelebrated by 30 Archpriests, along with representatives of the Patriarchates, as noted on the commemorative plaque above the left stewards area. The consecration played a pivotal role in actively and substantially accelerating the completion of the Cathedral, with significant progress made as regards the interior decoration, culminating in the iconography of the church, by iconographer, Mr Ioannis Karousos.

The Cathedral Today

The total area of the Cathedral is 1900 m² and the women’s gallery (gynaeconitis) is 700 m². The church capacity is estimated at 7500 people. The length of the cathedral with the entrance is 59.80 m and the width is 51.80 m. The central dome is 40.5 m high and the end of the outer cross stands at 45 m. This dome is surrounded by 12 other lower domes - bell towers, symbolising Jesus Christ with his 12 Apostles. The original design called for all the domes to be covered with copper sheets, given copper's resistance to corrosion from the nearby marine environment.

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