{"id":1969,"date":"2016-05-05T20:26:18","date_gmt":"2016-05-06T00:26:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/snappingtheglobe.com\/?p=1969"},"modified":"2018-01-28T14:40:24","modified_gmt":"2018-01-28T19:40:24","slug":"a-worshipful-walkabout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/snappingtheglobe.com\/?p=1969","title":{"rendered":"A Worshipful Walkabout"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a9 2016 \u00a0Snapping the Globe, L.L.C. All rights reserved.<\/em><\/p>\n

A few weeks ago, I was in the Dominican Republic on Easter Sunday, soaking up the sunshine on Bavaro Beach. \u00a0Little did I realize that a little more than a month later, I would get to celebrate Easter again.<\/p>\n

While checking the\u00a0Acropolis museum website last week, I noticed a banner across the website opening page, Holy Week 2016 Opening Hours at the Acropolis Museum<\/em>. \u00a0“Oh, they must have not updated their web page this month”,\u00a0\u00a0I thought to myself.<\/p>\n

Well, you are never too old to learn something new. \u00a0The Greek Orthodox Church celebrates Easter later than the Catholic church. \u00a0The\u00a0Greek Orthodox Church uses the Julian calendar when calculating the date of Pascha (Easter), while the rest of Christianity uses the Gregorian calendar. \u00a0There is a thirteen day difference between the two calendars with the Julian calendar being thirteen days behind the Gregorian. \u00a0Additionally, the Orthodox Church maintains that Pascha must take place after the Jewish Passover in order to maintain the Biblical sequence of Christ’s Passion. \u00a0Occasionally, the two do celebrate it on the same date (last time, 2011), however the dates of Easter for the Orthodox Church can be anywhere from one to five weeks later.<\/p>\n

So, Easter was going to be celebrated on Sunday and all museums, archaeological sites and many shops would be closing early\u00a0on Saturday? \u00a0There goes my nap. \u00a0Being that we would not be arriving until mid-morning, I realized that if I wanted to visit any museums or do any shopping, I would have to take a shower and hit the streets right away.<\/p>\n

Having made the decision to visit Agia Dynamis, I decided to map out other churches in the area since it was a Holy Weekend. \u00a0Visits to these would be accomplished on my way to and from the Kerameikos Ancient Cemetery. \u00a0Some of my favorite things to see in other countries is their churches…what not a better weekend to see some of Athen’s finest, than on Easter weekend?<\/p>\n

\"image\"<\/a>Agia Dynamis (Holy Power), a tiny church on the corner of Mitropoleos Street and Pentellis Street, is squeezed between two of the supporting pillars of the Ministry of Education and Religion building. \u00a0 The\u00a0ministry has been party built around the church as it\u00a0cannot be demolished due to its prominent history. \u00a0During the Greek revolution this was the location, that the Greek ammunition master, Mastropavlis, made bullets for the Turkish\u00a0and\u00a0for Greek freedom fighters that\u00a0were smuggled out during the night in garbage bags.<\/p>\n

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The church is very small and not very embellished. \u00a0There were many Athenians visiting the church while I was on the premises, lighting candles and offering up prayers.<\/p>\n

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Walking up Mitropoleos Street, in the Platia Mitropoleos, I next arrived at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens and the adjacent and diminutive Agios\u00a0Eleftherios church, also known as Mikri Mitropoli (little metropolitan church) or Panagia Georgoepikoos (meaning “All-saint Mary who answers quickly to prayers”).
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The Agios Eleftherios church is a Byzantine-era construction from the\u00a013th century ordered to be built by the bishop of Athens. \u00a0With the expulsion of King Otho, in 1862, it received its current name, meaning “Freedom”.<\/p>\n

The outside is constructed of marble with much artistic detail. \u00a0It is extremely small inside, but beautiful in its simplistic character.<\/p>\n

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\"image\"<\/a>After my visit was complete, I moved onward to the Agios Eleftherios’ illustrious neighbor, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, popularly known as the “Metropolis”.<\/p>\n

Towering over the “little metropolitan church” and the square, the domed basilica has presided in its current location\u00a0since 1842 when construction began on Christmas Day. \u00a0Marble from 72 demolished churches was used to build the Cathedral’s colossal walls. After its completion 20 years later, the Cathedral was dedicated by the King and Queen to the Annunciation of the Mother of God. \u00a0The cathedral, a major city landmark, is the site of official ceremonies and important wedding and funerals.<\/p>\n

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When entering the church, note the\u00a0ancient marble, above the entrance, depicting a woman said to be Eileithyia, the goddess of childbirth. \u00a0During the passage from mythology to Christianity, many temples were transformed into churches and leads one to believe that this particular church was probably built on the ruins of an ancient Greek temple dedicated to Eileithyia.<\/p>\n

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The interior is very ornate with rich color, distinctive iconography and a beautiful domed ceiling. \u00a0The Cathedral houses\u00a0the tombs of two saints,\u00a0Saint Philothei and Patriarch Gregory V, both killed by the Ottoman Turks during the Ottoman period. \u00a0The interior was roped off and the sanctuary could only be viewed from afar.<\/p>\n

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\"image\"<\/a>After exiting the Cathedral, I took a\u00a0a moment to wander through the square\u00a0taking note of the two statues which reside here; \u00a0Saint Constantine XI the Ethnomartyr, the last Byzantine Emperor and Archbishop Damaskinos, the Archbishop of Athens during World War II, who was also Regent for King George II and Prime Minister of Greece in 1946.<\/p>\n

Walking through the Plaka, I resumed my church tour arriving\u00a0in\u00a0Monastiraki Square. \u00a0The square is named for the Church of Pantanassa (or Ekklisia Kimisi Theotokou Mitropoleos) which is also located here. \u00a0This small church presides over the square and the crowds of tourists that congregate here for shopping, dining, sightseeing and utilization of the\u00a0metro at the Monastiraki station.<\/p>\n

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This church was known as the Great Monastery as it was located on the site of a monastery that stood here many years ago. \u00a0Later, it became monastiraki (little monastery) which eventually denominated\u00a0the entire area. \u00a0Deciding to forgo the interior of this small shrine, I admired it from outside and continued on my way.<\/p>\n

My next destination was the Kerameikos Cemetery, Museum and Archaeological Site located near the end of Ermou Street. \u00a0The cemetery, one of the lesser known archaeological sites in the city,\u00a0is most\u00a0certainly worth a visit while in the area.<\/p>\n

After my visit to Kerameikos Cemetery, I headed back through Monastiraki Square and walked along the Ancient Agora admiring Hadrian’s Library and the Tower of the Winds.<\/p>\n

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Hadrian’s Library, Ancient Agora<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Tower of the Winds, Ancient Agora<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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My final\u00a0destination was the Church of the Holy Trinity or Sotira Lykodimou, one of the largest medieval buildings in Athens. \u00a0The Byzantine church was built a little before 1083 within the city’s defensive walls. \u00a0In 1847, the Russian government purchased the property and Tsar Alexander II undertook the huge renovation of the building in 1850, when the impressive\u00a0bell tower and side tribunes were added. Now commonly known as the Russian Church it is the parish church of the Russian Orthodox community in Athens.<\/p>\n

Stepping into the church, the eye is drawn upward to the impressively festooned dome and the exquisite tall Russian iconostasis, which warranted further inspection, however, before I could take additional pictures, I was instructed that none\u00a0were allowed.<\/p>\n

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A quick walk around the exterior and I finally decided that my church tour was complete and it was finally time for my nap.<\/p>\n

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Within the ancient winding\u00a0city of Athens, there are many more churches that are worthy of inspection. \u00a0Dating back to the 5th century and boasting impressive architecture, most are well-preserved and decorated with icons and rare-frescoes. \u00a0While strolling around the\u00a0city, everyone should take time to visit these historical houses of worship.<\/p>\n

Check out more pictures on Facebook, Snapping the Globe and Instagram, @snappingtheglobe.<\/p>\n

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Agia Dynamis<\/strong><\/p>\n