Saint Barbara Hellenic Cultural Museum

Mary Mamalakis & Theony Condos

In the winter of 2007, our parish priest, Father Simon Thomas, inquired of a few parishioners when the earliest Greek immigrants came to the Santa Barbara. His inquiry led to the formation of a parish history committee and ultimately the establishment of a history and cultural museum on the campus of Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church. The initial goal was to open the museum on the 60th anniversary of Saint Barbara's incorporation as a parish in 1947, and to that end the doors of the museum opened on December 2nd, 2007, two days before the Feast of Saint Barbara on December 4th, with the blessing of metropolitan Gerasimos of San Francisco who officiated at a service of Agiasmos.

Our museum would never have become a reality without the willing participation of our parishioners, both those who originally made the arduous trek from their villages and towns to America as well as their descendants who passed along the stories of their courageous parents and grandparents. We extend an open invitation to view in person the Saint Barbara Hellenic Cultural Museum and Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church, and to contact us with your questions and/or additions to our exhibit.

Cordially,

Mary Mamalakis
History Committee Chairperson

Read the history of the Saint Barbara Hellenic Cultural Museum in Adobe PDF Format.