Catedral Metropolitana Ortodoxa 3.57

Catedral Metropolitana Ortodoxa is a cathedral located at 1515 Vergueiro in Paraíso, Vila Mariana, São Paulo, Brazil. The Eastern Orthodox church, dedicated to Saint Paul, is home to the Antiochian Orthodox Catholic Archdiocese of Brazil. It one of the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedrals in the world. Catedral Metropolitana is a fine example of Byzantine architecture.HistoryConstruction of the cathedral began in the 1940s, inspired by the Hagia Sophia, and built under the supervision of Paul Taufick Camasmie. Joseph Trabulsi was personally selected by King Farouk of Egypt to participate in its decoration, as were several Russian artists and contractors. One of the distinctive architectural characteristics of this building, when compared to other Orthodox churches, is that the iconostasis is made of marble, rather than wood.The Catedral Metropolitana Ortodoxa was inaugurated in January 1954, along with the celebrations of the IV centenary of the city of São Paulo, and consecrated by Patriarch Elias IV in 1958.