Greek Οrthodox heritage - the monasteries, churches, chapels, cathedrals, shrines, religious objects, frescoes, vestments, holy texts - but also the people of Christianity: the priests and monks, the hagiographers, the melodists, the architects constitute a valuable archive of national, local and individual history that spans 2000 years and represents a unique and essential part of our country's cultural identity.
The Thematic Exhibition presents the collections of three Metropolises with a long history: the Holy Metropolis of Syros, Thessaloniki and Ioannina. Through portable images and photographs of icons, holy relics, liturgical objects, vestments, portraits and gospels, you will discover the incomparable art of Orthodox iconography and the applied arts and get to know liturgical aspects and artefacts.
The Holy Metropolis of Syros, Tinos, Andros, Kea and Milos was created in 1833. Christianity spread in the Cyclades from the 3rd AD. century, as demonstrated by the Christian catacombs of Milos, and the establishment of the "Diocese of Delos", the first Diocese of the Cyclades, in the 4th century. After the Greek Revolution and the unilateral declaration of Autocephaly of the Church of Greece, in 1833, it was named "Diocese of Cyclades". In 1852 it was promoted to an Archbishopric and its title was changed to "Syros and Tinos". From 1900 Andros was added to the title, while in 1922 it was promoted to a Metropolis, like all the dioceses of Greece, and Kea and Milos were added to the title.
The church of Thessaloniki was founded by the Apostle Paul. In the first centuries of Christianity, the Church of Thessaloniki was under the jurisdiction of the Pope of Rome. In the 8th century, the Metropolis of Thessaloniki joined the Patriarchate of Constantinople, where it remains to this day. In Byzantium, the bishop of Thessaloniki bore the title of "Archbishop". During the Macedonian Struggle, the Metropolis of Thessaloniki played an important role, mainly through Emilianos Lazaridis collaborating with important personalities to support the Greeks struggle. After the Asia Minor campaign ended in catastrophe, Thessaloniki welcomed thousands of refugees from anatolia, and the Church offered spiritual and material support. In the new refugee districts, new parishes were organized and new churches were built, while the refugees brought with them precious sacred relics from Asia Minor, adding to the cultural heritage of the region.
The history of the Holy Metropolis of Ioannina is closely connected with the history of the place and, above all, with the city of Ioannina. The Byzantine years were long-suffering, with constant raids, upheavals and conflicts. Of particular interest is the history of the Church of Ioannina from the middle of the 14th century (1345), as during the period when the city belonged to the Despotate of Epirus, it was a diocese under the Metropolitan of Nafpaktos. During the Ottoman rule it retained important privileges, and its seat was transferred to the church of Agios Athanasios. Today, the Diocese oversees many parishes and monastic communities in the region.
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The exhibition contains items from the following institutions:
