A small group of Greek immigrants lived on Milwaukee’s lower east side at the turn of the twentieth century. By 1914 they had built a church at Broadway and Knapp Streets which became inadequate by the end of World War II. The congregation was honored when architect Frank Lloyd Wright, whose wife was a member of the Greek Orthodox faith, accepted a commission to design their church.

What proved to be the last major work undertaken by Wright before his death in 1959 reflects his admiration for Byzantine architecture. Although he did not copy Byzantine forms, Wright suggested its features in his designs and used its traditional blue and gold color scheme. The building’s three levels are in the form of a Greek cross within a circle. The blue ceramic tile dome seems to float above the interior while resting on 345 glass spheres. On the main floor, the ancient Christian symbol of the fish is represented in the carved walnut pew-ends in the church auditorium. At the balcony level, icons are found in the colored glass of the arc-topped windows. These icons and the narthex doors with their representation of the Annunciation in “leptat” or etched glass were memorial gifts from members of the congregation.