Meteora: Monastery of Αγίου Στεφάνου[ Agios Stephanos or St. Stephen's]
Vista view of Agios Stephanos [http://www.mygola.com]
|
|
Agios Stephanos (St. Stephen's) Monastery is situated on the eastern side of Meteora. It is the only monastery visible from Kalampaka. Access to the monastery is cross a stone/metal reinforced bridge. From the photograph on the far left the bridge is frightening to acrophobes, but up close (right) it feels welcoming and safe!
We entered the visitor's center, purchased tickets and proceeded to the "Katholikon" [(Greek: Καθολικόν or Slavonic: съборъ], the central church of a monastery and the center of its common life of prayer. The Katholikon is the highest point of the monastery, overshadowing all other buildings. This is an active church, not a museum. There is an old and a new Katholikon. The new one, open to visitors, was built in 1798, is under renovation, and the new frescoes painted by renowned iconographer Vlasios Tsotsonis from Corinth. In 1961 the largely abandoned monastery became an active convent. |
The original church was founded in the 15th (ca. 1400) by St. Antoninus Cantacuzene, was rebuilt in 1545 and the original frescoes were painted around that time. The other founder named in historical sources was the priest-monk Saint Philotheus from Rizoma of Trikala (in the mid-16th century). The frescoes and icons of the old Katholikon are beautiful but were damaged and desecrated during WWII bombing and later in the Greek Civil War. The church is a single-naved basilica whose narthex has a timber roof and frescoes painted in 1545 by the priest Ioannis from Stagoi.
"The frescoes of the church... constitute an interesting painting ensemble of post-Byzantine religious painting. On the sanctuary, the frescoes of Platytera (the Virgin Blachernitissa) and of the Communion of the Apostles are distinguished. On the nave [are] full-length figures of Saints, Jesus with its disciples on the Eleon Mountain and the depiction of 24 stanzas of the Akathistos Hymn.... Finally, on the narthex [are] depictions of holy founders Anthony and Philotheus and the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.... " (from http://www.kalampaka.com)
Some of these images are included below. Visitors do not have access to the old church, which opens once each year on the Feast Day of St. Stephen (December 27).
"The frescoes of the church... constitute an interesting painting ensemble of post-Byzantine religious painting. On the sanctuary, the frescoes of Platytera (the Virgin Blachernitissa) and of the Communion of the Apostles are distinguished. On the nave [are] full-length figures of Saints, Jesus with its disciples on the Eleon Mountain and the depiction of 24 stanzas of the Akathistos Hymn.... Finally, on the narthex [are] depictions of holy founders Anthony and Philotheus and the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.... " (from http://www.kalampaka.com)
Some of these images are included below. Visitors do not have access to the old church, which opens once each year on the Feast Day of St. Stephen (December 27).
The Old Katholikon
Later Professor D.Z. Sofianos in his book "Holy Meteora, Itinerary" says of the frescoes of the Old Katholikon: "The wall paintings give a very interesting example of the metabyzantine hagiography." Represented are: the 24 'Oikoi' of the Theotokos [Verses from Akathist to the Theotokos], depictions of full-bodied saints, a Platytera cycle, the founders of the monastery [Anthony and Philotheos], beautiful tapestries and intricately carved crosses (housed in the monastery's museum).
