Commemorating the History of the Greek Community in Vancouver: The Kits House Stained Glass Window

Pharos is pleased to have been a contributor to the commemorative stained glass window in Kits House as described below:

The Kits House. We drive by it and walk by it . . . and some of us still remember it as our church, our Greek school, our Sunday school. Some of us still refer to it as “our old church.” Some of us were married in the church, others baptized. It served the Greek community from 1930-1972 and after that has been serving the Westside community.

When Kits house was updated, they forgot something.

To show the multicultural nature of the center and that all were welcome the community center added “welcome” to the steps. Each step has “Welcome” in a different language to represent all the cultures that the center touches …

but they forgot one.

The many Greek associations and businesses and St. George’s congregation stepped forward, and this was rectified. While the project has been referred to as “The Kits Stained Glass Project,” the project also encompassed the creation of 2 memory boards to show visitors how the Greek Community used the building. St. George’s Cathedral has also donated 2 pews from the original church to be returned back home. They will be placed in the basement hall with the 2 memory boards.

Upcoming Event. On April 19, St. George’s Church will be holding an evening service at our old church. A formal announcement will soon follow. Mark your calendars, tell your parents and let's all meet at the old church for a service like old times.

March + April 2017

27 March 2017: Upper Hall, Hellenic Centre @ 7:30
Greek Bibles
Dr. Cillian O'Hogan, UBC

The fourth century saw the creation of pandects - large manuscripts containing all the books of the Old and New Testament - for the first time. Remarkably, two of these pandects survive almost intact: Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, both written in Greek. These two manuscripts reveal a great deal about the formation of the Christian canon, book production in late antiquity, and the history of scripture. This talk will explore some of the most interesting features of these late antique Bibles, and address the controversial question of the circumstances of their creation.


24 April 2017: Upper Hall Hellenic Centre @ 7:30

Hades Kitchen: Cooking and Eating in 
Ancient Greece
Dr. Jennifer Knapp, 
Coordinator of Classical Studies, Langara College

Everybody eats.  Food is a necessity, but it is far more than simple nutrition.  It can reflect culture, be an expression of identity, and reveal aspects of economics, environments, religious beliefs, and social interactions.  This talk will explore how ancient Greeks cooked, what they ate, and discuss the role food played in their society.  We will discuss the evidence we use to reconstruct ancient food, and will be introduced to the flavours of 2000 years ago.  Join us after the talk for a sampling of ancient Greek food and drink.