Monasteries and churches on Olympus
The Christianization of the Olymp region began relatively early . While only ruins are evidence of the bishopric from Byzantine times, there are still inhabited and used monasteries and churches on Olympus from this era . Some of the monasteries are stauropegions , that is, they are directly subordinate to the Patriarch of Constantinople ( Istanbul ), others belong to a diocese . The number of all churches and chapels in the vicinity of Olympus is difficult to keep track of. Therefore only the monasteries and the most important churches are mentioned.
history
On his journey from Jerusalem to Corinth in the first half of the 1st century, the apostle Paul also visited the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki . His first letter to the Thessalonians is one of the oldest writings of Christianity. Paul founded Christian communities, among others in Macedonia and Greece . In the 4th century Dion became the region's first bishopric.
Byzantine church buildings
Dion
The bishop's basilica was built in two phases. It started in the 4th century, after being destroyed by an earthquake, it was completed in the 5th century. It was a three-aisled church with a narthex . A smaller building to the west of the church served as a baptistery.
Louloudies
This fortress-like bishop's seat was built in the last quarter of the 5th century. It is probably the same place that was called Anamon in Roman records. In the middle of the 6th century the buildings were destroyed by an earthquake. The bishop left the place and it was used as a cemetery in the following years.
Pydna
Remains of two basilicas from the 4th and 6th centuries have been discovered in Pydna. The younger of the two basilicas was burned down after the Bulgarians conquered Pydna. At the end of the 10th century a basilica around 23 by 17 meters was built in its place. In 1204, Frankish knights conquered the place and destroyed it, probably after a siege. The remains of the basilica have been turned into a fortress.
Kanalon Monastery
In 1055 the monks Joakim and Daniamos founded a monastery on the south side of Mount Olympus, above the river Siliana. The French archaeologist Heuzey dated the foundation of the monastery to the year 955. After the monks had given up the monastery at the beginning of the 20th century, it is now inhabited by nuns again.
Petra
In the 11th century the Monastery of the Holy Virgin (Isodion tis Theotoko) was built in Petra. Today there is a sanatorium in this place.
Agia Triada Monastery, Sparmou
The existence of the monastery has been documented at least since 1386. After it was abandoned at the beginning of the 20th century, it has been inhabited by monks again for several years.
Panagia Kondariotissas
The exact date of the construction of this church is unknown. The construction and decoration inside the church suggests that it was built in the 11th century. It is interesting that building material from nearby Dion was obviously used.
Post-Byzantine church buildings
Agios Dionysios Monastery, Litochoro
In 1542 the monastery was founded by Saint Dionysius and dedicated to the Holy Trinity. During its history, the monastery was destroyed and rebuilt several times. In April 1943 it was blown up by the German Wehrmacht. The monks left the monastery and retired to Metochi , founded in 1650 , which was gradually expanded into a monastery.
Chapel of the Prophet Elias
The chapel was founded in the 16th century by Saint Dionysius, who probably lived there for a time. It stands on the top of the Profitis Elias mountain, one of the peaks of Mount Olympus, at an altitude of 2803 meters. This makes it the highest chapel in the Orthodox Church. The chapel was built over ancient ruins.
Klimadon Monastery
The monastery of Agia Triada (Holy Trinity) was built about 7 kilometers north of the village of Karya in 1640. It was located at an altitude of 1320 meters and was also known as the Klymendou Monastery or simply as the Old Monastery (Palaiomonastirio). In 1823 it was partially burned down by the Ottomans, in 1833 one of the monks caused a fire that completely destroyed the monastery. A chapel has stood here since 1913.
Agios Georgios Monastery, Ritini
The monastery of St. George is located northeast of the village of Ritini. The oldest paintings in the monastery were dated to 1494. One of these frescoes shows St. George riding a dragon, another shows Jesus Christ on the cross. The other frescoes in the Katholikon date from 1619. The monastery was abandoned during the Second World War.
Church of Agios Athanasios in Ano Skotina
At the northern end of the village of Ano Skotina is the church of Agios Athanasios. The main part of the church and the narthex date from 1656, the other parts of the building were added later. The church is known for its frescoes.
Modern church buildings
Ephraim Monastery , Kontariotissa
The monastery complex is located on a hill, 1.5 kilometers north of the village of Kontariotissa. It was founded in 1983 and the monastery, inhabited by nuns, is subordinate to the Diocese of Kitros-Katerini.
Monastery of the Holy Virgin, Rapsani
The nunnery of the Blessed Virgin Mary east of Rapsani was founded in 1997.
Web links
- List of monasteries in Greece. Retrieved March 5, 2018 .
- Ancient Dion. Retrieved March 3, 2018 .
Remarks
- ↑ Paulus of Tarsus - Apostle Paulus. Retrieved March 3, 2018 .
- ↑ The Spread of Christianity in the First Century. Retrieved March 3, 2018 .
- ↑ Louloudies on pieria-tourism.gr. Retrieved March 5, 2018 .
- ↑ Léon Heuzey: Le mont Olympe et l'Acarnanie: exploration de ces deux régions, avec l étude de leurs antiquités, de leurs populations anciennes et modern, de leur geographie et de leur histoire . Ministère de l'Instruction publique au ministère de d'État, Paris 1860 Online
- ↑ MARY CHURCH - THE ASCENSION IN KONTARIOTISSA. Retrieved March 3, 2018 .
- ↑ ST. DIONYSIOS OF OLYMPUS. Retrieved March 4, 2018 .
- ↑ ST. DIONYSIOS OF OLYMPUS. Retrieved March 24, 2018 .
- ^ UNESCO, The broader region of Mount Olympus. Retrieved March 24, 2018 .
- ^ Olympus National Park Management, Religious Tourism: MONASTERIES. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on March 15, 2018 ; accessed on March 24, 2018 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Monastery of St. George (Μονή Αγίου Γεωργίου). Retrieved March 4, 2018 .
- ↑ The Katholicon of the monastery of Agios Georgios Ritinis in Pieria. Retrieved March 4, 2018 .
- ↑ Palia Skotina, community Dion-Olympus. Retrieved March 5, 2018 .
- ↑ Prof. Joannnis Kaliambos, Skotina Pierias. Retrieved March 5, 2018 .
- ↑ Homepage of the monastery. Retrieved March 5, 2018 .
- ↑ The monasteries of Greece (Μοναστήρια της Ελλάδας, in Greek). Retrieved March 5, 2018 .
