Book your special day with the Hellenic Cultural Centre and experience expert professional and personal service, with all the features that a modern banquet facility can provide.

Our History

Greek families began settling in the Windsor area  in the early part of the 20th century.  Their pioneering spirits led them, in one way or another, to this area in search of a better life for their families.  Some decided to work in Canada for a while and return, while the majority chose to move their families to this country.

In this area, organizations began to form to service the common goal of furthering the Hellenic culture and Orthodox faith. During the dark years of World War II, local Greeks campaigned to raise funds and gather donations for their suffering relatives back home. The early organization collected thousands of dollars and tons of clothes for the Greek War Relief Fund of Canada.

A lot at the corner of Ellis and Dufferin was purchased in 1959 and the first phase of the Church construction, the basement, was started in 1962.

In 1971, construction was started on the second phase which would expand the building.

In September of 1975, the Church was consecrated by His Eminence Archbishop Iakovos, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in North and South America.

The GOYA youth group was founded in 1967 and has been an energetic and dynamic organization ever since. Through social, sports and religions events it has drawn the youth of our community together.

Services were conducted in the basement for almost ten years. With the hard work and dedication of members and with the support of Plato Association (now Philiptochos), funds were raised to complete the church nave.

In 1954, as part of the centennial celebrations for the city of Windsor, local Greeks were asked to participate in the All Nations Day. The proud and youthful Greeks of Windsor participated and continued to march in subsequent Canada Day parades.

This initiative led to further social gatherings and eventually to the founding in 1954 of the Greek Orthodox Community of Windsor with 76 founding members.

Waves of thousands of new Greek settlers settled in the Windsor area. At that time the community worshiped at St. George’s Romanian Church on Pierre Street with Greek priests from Detroit.

Church Updates

Father Evangelos Aravantinos

Fr. Evangelos was born in Montreal, Quebec on March 22nd, 1976 as the youngest of three siblings. Through the guidance of his spiritual father, Fr. Nicholaos Papageorgiou, he entered the Toronto Orthodox Theological Academy, thus taking the first step toward answering his calling to the priesthood. In May of 2003, he received his Theological degree.

After graduating Fr. Evangelos accepted an invitation from His Eminence Metropolitan Archbishop Sotirios to become the Finance Director of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto (Canada). While working at the Metropolis, he also served as a cantor at the Academy’s chapel of St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church. During that time Fr. Evangelos met his wonderful wife Ioanna Gounakis from Windsor Ontario, and were married on June 4th, 2005. Prior to his wedding, Fr. Evangelos resigned as the Finance Director of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto (Canada).

On July 16th, 2005, Fr. Evangelos was ordained to the Holy Deaconate in his home parish of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary in Montreal, Quebec and subsequently to the Holy Priesthood on July 30th, 2005 at Sts. Nicholas and Dimitrios Church in Vancouver, British Columbia where he had served until November 30th, 2014. He then served Ypapanti Greek Orthodox Church, in Victoria British Columbia, from December 1st, 2014 to August 31st, 2017 and has been serving our community since September 1st, 2017.

Get in touch

Location

3052 Walker Rd. 
Windsor, ON N8W3R3

Contact Us

Phone: (519) 252-3435

Email: info@gocw.ca

Our Hours

MON-FRI 09:00 – 19:00

SAT-SUN 10:00 – 14:00