Agios Grigorios Palamas Cathedral

What I can see

This is the first church with a dome built in the city during the Ottoman period. It is an eclectic building with, neo-roman, neoclassical and traditional local Byzantine elements (e.g. octagonal type). It has the shape of an isosceles cross and has 4 bell towers. It was primarily designed by Ernst Ziller, copying the designs of Panagia Faneromeni of Aegio. However, the church was completed by Xenofon Paionidis. Moreover, it is an example of the trend in which the intellectual urban architecture melted into the traditional Byzantine architecture. Inside the church is a chapel, where the reliquary of St. Grigorios Palamas is kept. The original frescoes were destroyed after its reconstruction due to the 1978 earthquake. Today, we see murals painted during the 1980s.

What I can't see

The monk Grigorios Palamas came from an aristocratic family and was an opponent of Platonic and Aristotelian philosophy. In medieval times, the Zealots dominated for about five years (1345-1349) and established the first people’s republic in Europe confiscating property of the aristocracy. When eventually hesychast and mystical ideas of Grigorios Palamas prevailed against those of the Zealots, philosophy along with the struggles for social justice was buried forever; he became a bishop (and later a saint) although he was never accepted by the leaders of the Zealots. Interestingly, even today, rarely believers from lower economic and social classes will light a candle here, in contrast to the elite of the city, who usually prefer this church for their religious activities. The staunchly conservative spirit of Palamas remains to this day. The current bishop often expresses extreme opinions, particularly about rights of the LGBTQI community.

Info

• Address: 6 Agias Sophias & Mitropoleos St.
• Phone: +30 2310 227677, 260846, 281316
• Website: http://www.imth.gr/

Bibliography