Saint Andrew of Patras

Saint Andrew
Άγιος Ανδρέας
Basic information
Location Patras, Greece
Affiliation Greek Orthodox
Architectural description
Architect(s) Anastasios Metaxas
Georgios Nomikos
Architectural type Byzantine architecture/Neo-Byzantine
Completed 1974
Specifications
Capacity 5,500
Dome height (outer) 46m

Saint Andrew of Patras (Agios Andreas, Άγιος Ανδρέας in Greek) is a Greek Orthodox basilica in the east side of the city of Patras in Greece. Along with the old church of St. Andrew (which lies in a close distance) it constitutes a place of pilgrimage for Christians from all over the world.It is dedicated to the First-called Apostle of Christ, Saint Andrew. Construction of the church, of Greek Byzantine style, began in 1908 under the supervision of the architect Anastasios Metaxas, followed by Georgios Nomikos. It was inaugurated 66 years later, in 1974. It covers approximately 1,800 square meters[1] (some other sources say 2,000).[2][3] It is the largest church in Greece and the third largest Byzantine-style church in the Balkans, after the Cathedral of Saint Sava in Belgrade and Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Sofia. Over the central dome there is a 5 meter long gold plated cross and over the other domes there are 12 smaller crosses. These crosses symbolise Jesus and His apostles. The interior of the church is decorated with marvelous Byzantine style wall paintings and mosaics.

Relics

Inside the church are kept relics of the apostle Saint Andrew, which consist of the small finger, part of the top of the cranium of the Apostle, and small portions of the cross on which he was martyred, all kept in a special shrine. The holy skull of the Apostle was sent there from St. Peter's Basilica, Rome in September 1964, on the orders of Pope Paul VI. Cardinal Bea led the party of 15 cardinals that presented the relic to Bishop Constantine of Patras on 24 September 1964.[4] Thousands of people (among them prime minister George Papandreou) and many Greek Orthodox bishops participated in the reception ceremony of the precious skull.[5][6] After a procession through the streets of the city, the precious skull was placed in a special silver mitre inside the church. The cross of. St. Andrew was taken from Greece during the Crusades by the Duke of Burgundy. Parts of the cross were kept since Middle Ages in the church of St. Victor in Marseilles. They were returned to Patras on 19 January 1980. The cross of the apostle was presented to the Bishop of Patras Nicodemus by the Roman Catholic delegation led by cardinal Roger Etchegaray.[7][8]

See also

Sources

References

  1. ↑ Blog of Historian-Researcher Giannis Lyras
  2. ↑ Hellas Time - Church of Saint Andrew (In Greek)
  3. ↑ Discover Hellas - Largest church in Greece (in Greek)
  4. ↑ Catholic Herald 2 October 1964
  5. ↑ Reception of the precious skull of St. Andrew (in Greek)
  6. ↑ Video of the reception ceremony from the Hellenic National AudioVisual Archive site
  7. ↑ Historical note on the reception of the cross of St. Andrew (in Greek)
  8. ↑ Abbaye Saint-Victor de Marseille, monuments historiques en France (in French)

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cathedral Agios Andreas.

Coordinates: 38°14′33″N 21°43′41″E / 38.24250°N 21.72806°E