The Church of Saint Athanasios

The Church of Saint Athanasios

In Mitilini there are several important churches including the church of Saint Athanasios which was built at the end of the 16th century and since the beginning of the 18th century has been the cathedral of the town. It is visible from great distance due to its big gothic bell-tower. The altar is one of the finest pieces of post-Byzantine wood-carving to be found. The church belongs to the style of three-aisled cross-in-square domed basilica. The sacred relics of Saint Theodore, hung by the Turks in 1795 are kept here and his martyrdom is celebrated February 17th and also on the 4th Sunday after Easter. The saint has been credited with saving the island from a plague in 1836

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