Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral was founded in 1904 to serve the Greek Orthodox residents of the District of Columbia. After meeting in temporary quarters for several years, the congregation constructed its own church near 8th and L Streets NW which was dedicated in 1924. This site is currently occupied by the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
Construction on the current edifice at 2815 36th Street NW, near Massachusetts Avenue and a short distance from the Washington National Cathedral, began in 1951. The congregation began worshipping there in 1955 shortly after major construction was completed. The building is in the Byzantine style with a central dome that reaches 80 ft (24 m) in height.
The church is not named for Saint Sophia the martyr, but rather the Holy Wisdom of God in the tradition of Hagia Sophia of Constantinople.
In 1962, the church was elevated to a cathedral under the jurisdiction of the Archbishop of America in New York, New York and serves as his cathedral in Washington.
Although the building has been in use for over fifty years, it has not been consecrated as the interior decoration is incomplete. Work began in 1965 and continues to the present.
In 2003, construction began on an education center to the east of the sanctuary. It opened September 16, 2004 and contains classrooms, a library and ballroom to house gatherings.[1]