Paros / Churches and Monasteries

On every corner of the island, from end to end, the white churches, country chapels and monasteries lend their character to the Parian landscape.

Most were built in the 16th and 17th centuries when the church of Paros was at its peak. Before the fall of Constantinople there were many other Cathedrals of which “Aghios Giorgios o Thalassitis” (Saint George of the Sea, Piso Livadi, 13th century), “o Evangelismos tis Theotokou” (Annunciation of the Holy Mother, Marpissa, 1410) and “Theoskepasti” (Sheltered by God, Protoria Naoussa) have remained standing.

The churches of Paros hold wonderful frescoes, noteworthy icons as well as great architectural and historical interest. The monasteries are places of worship and significant cultural centres deeply tied to the history of the island. Built in remote and beautiful locations their exteriors often resemble fortresses.

During the Turkish occupation there were approximately 35 working monasteries on the island, today only 5 are still active.

The men’s seminary “Longovardas” on the Paroikia-Naoussa road is famous for its cultural contribution to the island as well as the assistance the monks provided the islanders during the German occupation. The social contributions of the monastery are evident even today. They donated three acres of land for the wild animal refuge and rescue facility “Alcyone” which operates on a 24 hour basis providing expert veterinary care, recovery and re-release of wild, migratory and local species and is operated on an entirely volunteer basis.

Other monasteries still in operation include: “Thapsanon” south of Elitas, “Aghios Arsenios” (Christ of the Forest) south of Paroikia where Saint Arsenio’s tomb is located (the patron of Paros), “Taxiarchis” north of Paroikia, and “Aghion Theodoron” east of Agkairia.

1 kilometer North East of Paroikia, on the Paroikia-Naoussa road, you will encounter an early Christian Basilica comprised of the ruins of three churches.

The first Byzantine church dates back to 525-550 A.D. and the three churches were built upon its ruins in the 17th century. Much of the marble used in the construction of this triplex Basilica was taken from the remnants of ancient temples and other structures from antiquity.

The holy gem of Paros is the Cathedral of Our Lady Ekatontapyliani, one of the most significant early Christian monuments throughout Greece.

Located in the north east region of the city of Paroikia, the church’s history begins steeped in Byzantine legend with the first construction somewhere in the 4th century A.D.

Saint Helen (Aghia Eleni), mother of the emperor Constantine, was on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land in search of the cross of Christ. Her ship stopped in Paros where she found a tiny church, one of the first dedicated to the new faith. She prayed there and made a pledge that if she were to find the Honoured Cross she would build a Cathedral in the place of the tiny church. Her prayer was answered and she found the Cross, so as she had pledged, construction of the church began.

Another version claims that Emperor Constantine built the Cathedral on his mother’s orders as she herself was unable to see her pledge to fruition.

The original structure was a cross shaped, wood roofed Basilica most probably destroyed by fire. During Justinian’s reign the church was re-built as the vaulted dome we see today. Legend has it that Justinian’s Ekatontapyliani was built by an apprentice of the master-craftsman who built Saint Sophia’s Cathedral in Constantinople (Istanbul).

During the Frankish and Turkish occupations the Cathedral was sacked and looted repeatedly but the greatest damage was caused by the earthquake of 1773. Its reconstruction thereafter distorted the original, impressive form. In 1959 restoration efforts began and the Cathedral was returned to the cruciform, vaulted dome that Justinian had erected.

The sculpture that decorates the Cathedral was taken from the ancient Temple of Demeter that adorned the harbour of Paroikia. In the southern corner of the great hall there is a baptismal font from the 4th century – the oldest and well maintained example throughout the eastern Orthodox world. With the baptismal font is the oldest fresco yet to be discovered on the island: an 11th or 12th century depiction of Saint George.

Ekatontapyliani also houses the Byzantine Museum of Paroikia with rare examples of iconography, wood carving and other ecclesiastic art pieces from the Byzantium and Ottoman Empire. The greatest religious festival on the island is that of Our Lady on the 15th of August – an occasion where religious celebration of the faith is combined with lively traditional folk bazaars and festivities.