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The only exclusively Greek Orthodox Church Cemetery in Texas, the Greek Orthodox Cemetery in Galveston was established in 1914. The local Hellenic Society purchased the original parcel. The cemetery was expanded when the Greek church initiated purchase of additional land in 1936. It is the final resting place for a longstanding community of Orthodox Christians who were some of the first Greeks in Texas. An Eastern Orthodox community has existed in Galveston since 1862, first composed of Greek, Russian, and Serbian immigrants. As years passed the Greek Orthodox residents shared in community but in the 1930s they established their own congregation, the assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church. They purchased a Lutheran church at 19th Street and Avenue H (Ball Street). In 1964 they replaced that church with an Eastern Orthodox interior style church which is still in operation today. Greek immigrants played their part in the development of Galveston and the state through a variety of professions and contributions. The cemetery holds more than 200 known burials, with the first recorded burial in 1915. It remains an active burial ground. The cemetery is managed by the church council of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church. Several burial markers include Greek language inscriptions. The entry on Avenue T includes a decorated wrought iron gate adorned with Orthodox crosses and an arch with the words “Greek Orthodox.” The Greek Orthodox community has continually met the needs of citizens of Galveston and the state of Texas with charitable outreach programs and services. They have also preserved their legacy and memory of the earliest years by continuing to maintain this cemetery. HISTORIC TEXAS CEMETERY – 2015 |
