San Giorgio dei Greci

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The church of San Giorgio dei Greci (Saint George of the Greeks) is a church in the sestiere or neighborhood of Castello, Venice.

For centuries, despite the close ties of Venice to the Byzantine world, the Greek Orthodox rite was not permitted in Venice. In 1498, the greek community gained the right to found the Scuola de San Nicolò dei Greci, a confraternity which aided members of that community. In 1539, after protracted negotiations, the papacy allowed the construction of the church of San Giorgio, financed by a tax on all ships from the Orthodox world.

Construction was started by Sante Lombardo, and from 1548, by Giannantonio Chiona. The belltower was built in 1592. The interior has a monument to Gabriele Seviros (1619) by Baldassare Longhena. The dome of the church was frescoed with the Last Judgement (1589-93) by Giovanni Kyprios. The iconostasis employed Kyprios, Tommaso Bathas, Benedetto Emporios, and Michele Damaskinos. Emanuele Tzane-Buniales frescoed the Saints Simeon and Alypios, ascetic hermits, atop the pilasters.

[edit] Saint George of the Greeks

A Church by the same name, Saint George of the Greeks, has been built around the 14th century in Famagusta, Cyprus

[edit] References

• Manno, Antonio (2004). in The Rizzoli Art Guides: The Treasures of Venice. 300 Park avenue South, New York, NY 10010: Rizzoli International Publications, pages 256-257.