A fire broke out at the historic Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Sydney on Thursday.
The initial assessment indicated that the damage was due to a short circuit, though investigations are still underway by authorities.
Significant damage was caused within the heritage-listed building, and in particular to parts of the roof over the holy altar and the chapel of St John Theologian.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia released a message following the fire which referred to the damage to sacred utensils and articles kept in the sanctuary which “were damaged by the large amount f water that was used during the fire-fighting operation”. The electronic and audiovisual system of the church was also completely destroyed, however the true extent of the damage is still unknown and “there will be a further update once this is completed”.
Damage to the Cathedral
“It is fortunate that His Eminence Archbishop Makarios and his colleagues who were at the Archdiocese at the time were not in danger and did not suffer any injuries,” states the statement, which also fervently thanks the firefighters who rushed to the scene and police for their immediate assistance.
A few months ago, an announcement had been made for $27 million upgrades to the Archdiocese, which in the first stage envisage the careful restoration and refurbishment of the historic Cathedral of the Annunciation of our Lady, designed by famous Colonial architect, Edmund Blackett, at a cost of around $2 million.
