ΧΡΙΣΤΙΑΝΙΚΗ ΑΡΧΑΙΟΛΟΓΙΑ

  John, the Archbishop of Thessaloniki at the beginning of the 7th century states that Thessalonians are disciples of the apostles Paul and Andrew. Professor Mr. Ar. Mentzos claims that a silver box with two apostles in front of Christ (today in the Museum of Byzantine Culture) depicts the two founders of Christianity in the city of Thessaloniki, as does a stone seal of blessing with the two apostles and Christ on a medallion on the Cross with the inscription BLESSING FROM THE LORD TO YOU AND FROM THE SAINTS ANDREW AND… surrounding it. The view of Andrew as a co-founder of the Christian community may be related to the installation as bishop of Macedonia of Andrew's disciple and assistant, Urbanus, one of the 70 apostles. While the Acts of the Apostles mentions that Paul and Syla - perhaps also Timothy - stayed in Thessaloniki for 3 weeks at Jason's house, there is no mention of the installation of a bishop. This could have happened during a subsequent visit by an apostle, app...

The magnificent dedicatory mosaic of the Church of Saint Demetrius in Thessaloniki, Greece, depicts the patron saint embracing an elderly deacon. Archaeologists believe that this is the author of the first three miracles of the second book of “Miracles of Saint Demetrius”. This deacon is called in the sources “a worthy man, who genuinely serves the saint”, to whom the saint “constantly appears in a vision” and “addresses him as brother”. The anonymous deacon supervised the renovation of the burnt-out church of Saint Demetrius. At the base of the mosaic there is a touching inscription: “Panolvie Christou Martys philopolis, frontida tithi ke politon ke ksenon” (Most felicitous martyr of Christ, who loves your city, take care of the citizens and the strangers). + E. G. ----------------------------- Στο θαυμάσιο αφιερωματικό ψηφιδωτό του Ναού του Αγίου Δημητρίου Θεσσαλονίκης εικονίζεται ο Πολιούχος άγιος να αγκαλιάζει έναν ηλικιωμένο διάκονο. Οι αρχαιολόγοι πιστεύουν ότι πρόκειται γι...

  The secretaries of Archbishop Paul of Constantinople, Marcian and Martyrius, were killed by order of Constantine I's son, the Arian emperor Constantius II, as soon as he took the throne in 337. Constantius was excessively selfish and was particularly cruel to those who were not followers of Arianism. Information from the 10th century says that they were led to the edge of the wall, slaughtered and buried there. Later sources mention the Melandisia Gate, in the location of Deuteron, as the place of martyrdom. The Melandisia Gate (today Mevlânakapı Kapısı) is in the wider area of Deuteron, specifically at Olympiou. However, at the time the saints were martyred, the walls of Theodosius had not been built, the first walls of Constantine existed. In the Menologion of Basil II they are depicted next to the walls and in their Martyrdom, built by John Chrysostom, has a round shape, it is a Rotunda. If we accept the testimony about the Melandisia Gate as correct, there is an area ou...

  The Patriarch of Constantinople German I, a saint of the Church, writes that in his time (634-730) there was a living tradition about Saint James the Brother of Christ, the first Bishop of Jerusalem, that he had his hair completely cutted, as did the Apostle Paul and other saints. The monks of German’s time imitated his example and completely cutted their hair. Eusebius of Caesarea (265-340) reports that James never shaved his head. Apparently, he cut his hair very short. The Jews of the time of Saint James had short hair, but not completely shaved. What they disliked was long hair on men, something that Paul also denies. We know that James was martyred in 62 A.D., so he was at least 62 years old or older. Saint James is celebrated on October 23rd. (photo created by AI) +E. G. ----------------------------------------- Ο Πατριάρχης Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Γερμανός Α΄, άγιος της Εκκλησίας, γράφει ότι στην εποχή του (634-730) ήταν ζωντανή η παράδοση για τον άγιο Ιάκωβο τον Αδελφό...

  The emperor Justinian (527-565) issued an edict according to which the Money changers now had to give 180 copper follis for a solidus, a pure gold coin, that is, instead of the 210 follis they had paid before. The solidus was the monthly salary of each soldier during the empire (solidus-soldier in English). Placing Roman legions on the frontiers of the empire was a wonderful opportunity to keep money moving. Soldiers were constantly coming and going and had to "spoil" their solids to pay for transportation, lodging, food and entertainment. At that time, Andronikus lived as a Money changer in Antioch, Syria, with his wife Athanasia and their two children. After their children died young, the couple left and became monks in Egypt. The man in Skete in Nitria and the woman in upper Egypt. It is very interesting that they quit their job and left during the period when they would see their profits skyrocket, since they would earn 30 follis on each trade. Saints Andronikus and A...