San Giorgio dei Greci () is a church in the ''

sestiere A (; : , ) is an administrative division of Italy, roughly equivalent to a township or municipality. It is the third-level administrative division of Italy, after regions () and provinces (). The can also have the title of (). Formed a ...

'' (neighborhood) of

Castello, Venice Castello is the largest of the six sestieri of Venice, Italy. History There had been, since at least the 8th-century, small settlements of the islands of San Pietro di Castello (for which the sestiere is named). This island was also called ...

, northern

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

. It was the center of the

Scuola dei Greci The Scuola dei Greci (literally, ''School of the Greeks'') was the confraternity of the Greek community in Venice. Its members were primarily Greeks, but also included Serbs. History The ''Scuole Piccole of Venice, Scuole Piccole'' were Confr ...

, the Confraternity of the Greeks in Venice. Around this period there was a similar church in Naples called Santi Pietro e Paolo dei Greci. There was also a Greek Brotherhood of Naples. For centuries, despite the close ties of Venice to the

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

world (

Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...

has been part of the Byzantine Empire), the

Greek Orthodox Greek Orthodox Church (, , ) is a term that can refer to any one of three classes of Christian Churches, each associated in some way with Greek Christianity, Levantine Arabic-speaking Christians or more broadly the rite used in the Eastern Rom ...

rite was not permitted in Venice. In 1498, the

Greek community in Venice The Greek community in Venice dates back to the Middle Ages, when the Republic of Venice was still formally part of the Byzantine Empire. Settled mostly in the ''sestiere'' of Castello, Venice, Castello, it reached its height in the centuries after ...

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. Venezia san giorgio dei greci

Construction was started by

Sante Lombardo Sante Lombardo (1504–1560) was an Italian architect. Biography He was born in Venice, the son of Tullio Lombardo. It is mentioned for the first time in sources in 1534, when he was appointed ''protomastro'' of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco ...

, and from 1548, by Giannantonio Chiona. The belltower was built in 1592. The interior has a monument to Gabriele Seviros (1619) by

Baldassarre Longhena Baldassare Longhena (1598 – 18 February 1682) was an Italian architect, who worked mainly in Venice, where he was one of the greatest exponents of Baroque architecture of the period. His style is characterized by monumentality, skillful use of l ...

. The dome of the church was frescoed with the ''Last Judgement'' (1589–93) by Giovanni Kyprios. Other artists who completed work for the church were

Markos Bathas Markos Bathas (, 1498 – 1578; also known as Marko Batha) was a painter, copper engraver, and writer. He was a prominent member of the ''Strelitzas-Bathas'' family. He may have been related to famous painters Theophanes Bathas and Thomas ...

, Thomas Bathas, Venediktos Emporios, and

Michael Damaskinos Michael Damaskenos or Michail Damaskenos (also Damaskinos) (, 1530/35–1592/93) was a leading post-Byzantine Cretan painter. He is a major representative of the Cretan School of painting that flourished in the 16th and 17th centuries. Pain ...

. Emanuele Tzane-Buniales, a priest and

hagiographer A hagiography (; ) is a biography of a saint or an ecclesiastical leader, as well as, by extension, an wiktionary:adulatory, adulatory and idealized biography of a preacher, priest, founder, saint, monk, nun or icon in any of the world's religi ...

from

Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...

. Tzanes frescoed the Saints Simeon and Alypios, ascetic hermits, atop the pilasters. Other famous Greek artists associated with the church were:

Konstantinos Tzanes Konstantinos Tzanes (, 1633 – 1685; also known as Bounialis () Konstantinos Tzane-Bounialis, Konstantinos Zane, or Konstantinos Tzane) was a Greek Renaissance painter. He was a painter in Crete and Venice. His brother Emmanuel Tzanes was ...

Philotheos Skoufos Philotheos Skoufos (also Filotheos; ; between 1615 and 1625 – 1685) was a Greeks, Greek painter, educator and clergyman during the 17th century. He collaborated with Emmanuel Tzanes on several pieces while he was in Corfu. Philotheos was a ...

Ioannis Moskos Ioannis Moskos (; 1635-44 – 1721) was a Greek painter that migrated to Venice. Two other very famous painters with the name Moskos were active around the same period Elias Moskos and Leos Moskos. Leos Moskos frequently traveled all over the ...

Leos Moskos Leo or Leos Moskos (, 1620/30 – 1690) was a painter and educator. There were two other painters named Moskos active around the same period, Elias Moskos and Ioannis Moskos, who may have been his relatives. Indeed, Leo is often confused wit ...

and

Emmanuel Tzanfournaris Emmanuel Tzanfournaris (; 1570–1630), also known as Emmanouil Manos, was a Greek painter. He was a painter in Corfu and Venice. He was taught by famous painter Thomas Bathas. Emmanuel's father Georgios was also a famous painter. Emmanuel was a ...

. Amongst the treasures in this church are three icons which

Anna Notaras Anna Notaras Palaiologina ( Παλαιολογίνα; died 8 July 1507) was a prominent Byzantine leader-in-exile in decades following the fall of Constantinople in 1453, serving as a center of the Greek community in Venice in the late 15th and ea ...

, daughter of

Loukas Notaras Loukas Notaras (; 5 April 1402 – 3 June 1453) was a Byzantine Greek statesman who served as the last '' megas doux'' or grand duke (commander-in-chief of the Byzantine navy) and the last '' mesazon'' (chief minister) of the Byzantine Empire, unde ...

, the last '' megas doux'' of the Byzantine Empire, brought with her to Italy before 1453, and she later gave to the ''Scuola de San Nicolò dei Greci'' in trust for when a church observing the Greek Orthodox faith could be constructed. These icons comprise: one of Christ in His glory surrounded by symbols of the four Evangelists and figures of the 12 Apostles; another of

Christ Pantokrator In Christian iconography, Christ Pantocrator (, ) is a specific depiction of Christ. or , literally 'ruler of all', but usually translated as 'almighty' or 'all-powerful', is derived from one of many names of God in Judaism. The Pantokrator i ...

; and the third is an image of the

Virgin Hodegetria A Hodegetria, or Virgin Hodegetria, is an iconographic depiction of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) holding the Child Jesus at her side while pointing to him as the source of salvation for humankind. The Virgin's head usually inclines towards the c ...

. Near the church lies the

Flanginian School The Flanginian School (; ) was a Greek educational institution that operated in Venice, Italy, from 1664–1665 to 1905. The Flanginian produced several teachers who contributed to the modern Greek Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries. Ba ...

, a Greek teachers' school, which today houses the Hellenic Institute of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies in Venice. The Museum was established by

Sophia Antoniadis Sophia Antoniadis (, 31 July 1895, Piraeus - 25 January 1972, Athens) was a Greek Byzantinist. She was the first female professor at the Leiden University, the first female Humanities professor in the Netherlands and during her career was one of ...

. Manousakas, Manousos (15 February 1972). ""The facts and issues: Sofia A. Antoniadis"". ''Nea Estia''. 91: 269–271.

Michael Damaskinos

Between 1560–1583,

completed works for the church. Twenty-five of his major works are located in Venice. Twenty of his paintings are part of San Giorgio dei Greci. Eighteen of his icons are part of the iconostasis of the church. One of them portrays the Archangel Michael. Nine of the paintings exhibit the dodekaorto known as the

Great feasts in the Eastern Orthodox Church In the Eastern Orthodox Church, the feast of the death and Resurrection of Jesus, called Pascha (Easter), is the greatest of all holy days and as such it is called the "feast of feasts". Immediately below it in importance, there is a group of T ...

. Two of his works are behind the iconostasis within the holy sanctuary. Four of his works are part of the Hellenic Institute of Venice. The museum and research facility is associated with San Giorgio dei Greci. One of his paintings ''

Wedding at Cana The wedding at Cana (also called the marriage at Cana, wedding feast at Cana or marriage feast at Cana) is a story in the Gospel of John at which the first miracle attributed to Jesus takes place. In the Gospel account, Jesus, his mother and ...

'' is located at the

Museo Correr The Museo Correr () is a museum in Venice, northern Italy. Located in Piazza San Marco, St. Mark's Square, Venice, it is one of the 11 civic museums run by the Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia. The museum extends along the southside of the squar ...

in Venice.

Emmanuel Tzanes

One of the most important eras in San Giorgio dei Greci's history is the period when painter

Emmanuel Tzanes Emmanuel Tzanes (; 1610 – 28 March 1690), also known as Bounialis (), Emmanuel Tzane-Bounialis, Emmanuel Zane, or Emmanuel Tzane, was a Greek Renaissance iconographer, author, clergyman, and educator. He spent the latter half of his life in Ve ...

was a priest at the institution. He was associated with the church from 1655–1690. Some of his most important works were completed while he was in

. One such work was '' Lady the Lambovitissa'' completed in 1684. His brother's famous painter

and poet Marinos Tzanes were with him. They were also affiliated with the church. During this era Greek painters

and

were also involved with the church. Four of Emmanuel's works are associated with San Giorgio dei Greci. Emmanuel completed an icon of Alypius for the iconostasis. He painted Abraham and Melchizedek for the door panels of the royal doors. He completed a Crucifixion for the church. Finally, he also painted Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and John the Baptist on a holy podium (proskinitirio) for the church. Thirteen of his paintings are housed at the Hellenic Institute of Venice. The museum and research facility are associated with San Giorgio dei Greci. One of his paintings of

Saint Spyridon Spyridon, also Spyridon of Tremithus (Greek: ; c. 270 – 348), is a saint honoured in both the Eastern and Western Christian traditions. Life Spyridon was born in Assia, in Cyprus. He worked as a shepherd and was known for his great piety. ...

is located at the Museo Correr in Venice.

Priests 1527–1868

Other Greek Churches in Italy

* Santi Pietro e Paolo dei Greci *

Greek Orthodox Church of San Nicolò dei Greci The Greek Orthodox Church of San Nicolò dei Greci, Trieste, Italy, is a historical Greek Orthodox Church built in 1784-1787 and re designed by architect Matteo Pertsch. The building is also known as the Greek Orthodox Church of San Nicholas and M ...

* Chiesa Greco Ortodossa di Sant'Andrea Apostolo, Rome Italy

References

Bibliography

* * Mathieu Grenet, ''La fabrique communautaire. Les Grecs à Venise, Livourne et Marseille, 1770–1840'', Athens and Rome, École française d'Athènes and École française de Rome, 2016 () * * * *

External links

Archdiocese of Italy (Patriarchate of Constantinople)

* ttps://demetrimusic.com/archive/painters/kyprios.pdf Dome of Church {{DEFAULTSORT:Giorgio dei Greci 1539 establishments in the Republic of Venice Religious buildings and structures completed in 1592 Churches completed in 1592 Churches in Castello, Venice 16th-century Eastern Orthodox church buildings Bell towers in Italy Inclined towers Renaissance architecture in Venice Greek Orthodox cathedrals in Europe Cathedrals in Italy Greek Orthodox churches in Italy