Perth Voice Interactive

NORTH PERTH’S Macedonian community is set to get a new church after using one for more than 30 years that’s pointed the wrong way.

In the 1970s local Macedonians moved into the former Anglican church on Angove Street.

Its altar points south, not east, and they cannot perform traditional Easter ceremonies as the church abuts a wall, preventing them from entering the church from all directions in a traditional manner.

An adjacent community hall will be demolished to make way for a new similar-sized church which, according to religious dictum, has been designed by a religious authority in Macedonia.

Local architect Denis Pandevski says it could take around three years to build the stone church, which is designed to last for several centuries.

The cost is estimated at around $2 million.

“I had to adapt some of the plans from Macedonia because they did not comply with Australia’s design codes,” he laughs.

“If all goes to schedule, we are hoping to start construction by the end of the year.

“The Macedonian community has been talking about doing this for the last 15 years, so it’s good to finally get things going.”

Mr Pandevski adds the church will have statues and frescos to rival the stunning art in the Macedonian Orthodox Church of St Nikola, on Macedonia Place in North Perth.

The existing church will be transformed into a community hall for committee meetings and functions.

The new church will have a capacity of around 100.

Mr Pandevski says demolition will commence over the next few months, with a temporary house of worship still to be arranged.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK