Church of The Assumption of Virgin Mary
Church of The Assumption of Virgin Mary
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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4.5
66 reviews
Excellent
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Dennisx72
Sydney, Australia16 contributions
Sep 2024 • Couples
Beautiful church with a magnificent priest. Well worth a Sunday Church service if you’re in town. The icons are awe inspiring and the beautiful blue domed bell tower tops the Greek Aegean feel. El Greco icon was an added bonus.
Written September 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
saronic
Zurich, Switzerland28,781 contributions
May 2022 • Solo
On Stamatiou Proiou street, which runs parallel to the coastal avenue, just a few steps up, is a church one might miss, when walking past it from the nearby Casino. But reading about Syros a visitor will know that this most central church of Ermoupolis is very much worth seeing.
Built in the years 1826-29 by refugees from the island of Psara it is the second oldest church in Ermoupolis after the big main church a bit further up, the Metropolis Metamorfoseos Sotiros (which has no entry in Tripadvisor). It is dedicated to the 'Kimisis Theotokou', which translates as the 'Dormition of the Mother of God', a feast, which in the West is known as the 'Assumption of the Virgin Mary' (which is not exactly the same, since chronologically the Assumption came after the Dormition).
The church, restored in the 1950's after damage during WWII, has a very richly decorated interior with a lot of gold, with chandeliers and columns that are painted to look like striped green marble. Quite impressive, but not too different from many other rich Greek churches. What makes this ecclesiastical building special though is to be found in the narthex, on the right side of the inner entrance.
It is a small icon (about 40 to 60cm) depicting the 'Dormition of the Mother of God' (just as the church's name), which had probably been brought by seamen from Psara, after their island was destroyed by the Ottoman fleet during the Greek Revolution. Only in 1983 a Greek archaeologist had this icon cleaned from dirt, discovering the signature 'Domenikos Theotokopoulos' at the lower part of the middle candelabra in the painting.
Domenikos Theotokopoulos was a painter from Crete, working in the style of the 'Cretan School', which was Byzantine with a great Renaissance influence from the West. It flourished from the 15th to the 17th century, when the island belonged to Venice. The icon we see here must date from before 1567, when Theotokopoulos at age 26 moved to Venice, then to Rome, finally to Toledo, where he became the famous 'El Greco'.
Built in the years 1826-29 by refugees from the island of Psara it is the second oldest church in Ermoupolis after the big main church a bit further up, the Metropolis Metamorfoseos Sotiros (which has no entry in Tripadvisor). It is dedicated to the 'Kimisis Theotokou', which translates as the 'Dormition of the Mother of God', a feast, which in the West is known as the 'Assumption of the Virgin Mary' (which is not exactly the same, since chronologically the Assumption came after the Dormition).
The church, restored in the 1950's after damage during WWII, has a very richly decorated interior with a lot of gold, with chandeliers and columns that are painted to look like striped green marble. Quite impressive, but not too different from many other rich Greek churches. What makes this ecclesiastical building special though is to be found in the narthex, on the right side of the inner entrance.
It is a small icon (about 40 to 60cm) depicting the 'Dormition of the Mother of God' (just as the church's name), which had probably been brought by seamen from Psara, after their island was destroyed by the Ottoman fleet during the Greek Revolution. Only in 1983 a Greek archaeologist had this icon cleaned from dirt, discovering the signature 'Domenikos Theotokopoulos' at the lower part of the middle candelabra in the painting.
Domenikos Theotokopoulos was a painter from Crete, working in the style of the 'Cretan School', which was Byzantine with a great Renaissance influence from the West. It flourished from the 15th to the 17th century, when the island belonged to Venice. The icon we see here must date from before 1567, when Theotokopoulos at age 26 moved to Venice, then to Rome, finally to Toledo, where he became the famous 'El Greco'.
Written April 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Georgia_M
Piraeus, Greece118 contributions
Jul 2016 • Business
This impessive church was built in the early 19th century and it' s found in Ermoupolis, Near the center of the town. Yet, one should visit it as well because of the El Greco painting entitled "Dormition of Virgin Mary" which is dated around 1560. The entrance for both the temple and the painting is, of course, for free.We were lucky enough when we visited the church to meet Father Kostas who told us all about the touching story of the painting and who thankfully has nothing to do with the Greek priests 's stereotype!
Written August 1, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Taxidiotissa
London, UK673 contributions
Sep 2015 • Couples
This church 'Koimisi tis Theotokou' translates as Church of the 'Dormition of the Mother of God', and it's here that you'll find an authentic icon of the same name painted by the world famous Greek painter El Greco around 1567. It's just inside the main entrance on your right, before you enter the main body of the church. If you look closely, you can see the signature of El Greco 'Dominikos Theotokopoulos' on the base of the central candelabra. Just another surprising find in Hermoupolis, and well worth a visit. The church can be found next door to the (closed?) casino on Stamatiou Proiou.
Written October 3, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jrad669
Palm Springs, CA7 contributions
Jul 2019
This is a wonderful little church, and although there are a lot of wonderful little churches in Greece, this one has an original El Greco. What a wonderful surprise. Well worth the visit!
Written July 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nikos R
Athens, Greece1,141 contributions
Apr 2016
This is one of the first churches in Syros.Renovated after WW2.Beautiful deccoration and one of the first works of El Greco.I don't have to say a lot because there is Papa Kostas who will give all information about everythink.He is one of the best priest I ever met and I think people like him are extraordinary.MUST GO THERE if you are in Syros
Written April 13, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hcoumoussis
Athens, Greece54 contributions
Sep 2017 • Friends
The church is beautiful as all the churches were saw in Syros. The highlight though is the painting of El Greco. It is a small painting at the entrance of the church to your right.
Written September 28, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marinos Poulos
Salt Lake City, UT93 contributions
Sep 2016 • Solo
This is a most beautiful church and I am glad that I went to see it. I have been an admirer of Domenikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco) and his paintings, and I needed to see his Icon of the Dormition of the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) that he painted around 1560.
Written November 2, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David D
Devon, UK26,789 contributions
Jul 2018 • Couples
Friday 13th July and we were out and about exploring and sightseeing in Ermoupolis, and we visited this Church.
We nearly walked passed this Church as was not too clear what the building was, we walked up some steps and entered the Church through the gated entrance.
The Church is situated on Stamatiou Proiou, which is a couple streets back from the Port.
We were not prepared for the magnificent sight that greated us as we entered this Church, it was stunning
There were such eyecatching featutres, the extremely ornate pulpit, green marble pillars supporting the ceiling with impressive chandeliers hanging from it. The altar was absolutely amazing with its glorious icons and some many small religious paintings above, it dominated the entire back of the Church.
There were incredible icons and religious images around the Church, including the famous icon painted by El Grecco - the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.
We did notice that the Church was also know as the Church of Dormition, perhaps as result of the icon, which we did not know the meaning of Dormition, so after our visit we checked the term out. We discovered it meant in the Orthodox Church, the passing of the Virgin Mary from earthly life.
The feast, in honour of the Dormition, is celebrated on 15 August, this corresponds to the Assumption in the Western Church.
Well worth spending some time walking around this amazing sacred place.
We nearly walked passed this Church as was not too clear what the building was, we walked up some steps and entered the Church through the gated entrance.
The Church is situated on Stamatiou Proiou, which is a couple streets back from the Port.
We were not prepared for the magnificent sight that greated us as we entered this Church, it was stunning
There were such eyecatching featutres, the extremely ornate pulpit, green marble pillars supporting the ceiling with impressive chandeliers hanging from it. The altar was absolutely amazing with its glorious icons and some many small religious paintings above, it dominated the entire back of the Church.
There were incredible icons and religious images around the Church, including the famous icon painted by El Grecco - the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.
We did notice that the Church was also know as the Church of Dormition, perhaps as result of the icon, which we did not know the meaning of Dormition, so after our visit we checked the term out. We discovered it meant in the Orthodox Church, the passing of the Virgin Mary from earthly life.
The feast, in honour of the Dormition, is celebrated on 15 August, this corresponds to the Assumption in the Western Church.
Well worth spending some time walking around this amazing sacred place.
Written July 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kikibrl
Argostolion, Greece123 contributions
May 2018 • Couples
The church of ""koimhshs the Panagias ten Psarianwn "" was built from people of Creta moved in Syros .Probably somebody brought the icon that Domenico Theotokopoulos paint without knowing how precious was.Very recently a connoisseur who visited the church discover the icon and its
Importance.He cleaned and restaured the icon and from now on we can admire this work of art .The name is not so clear
but when you magnify the foto you can see the name in black colour.BUT another thing you admire is father KONSTANTINOS
always ready to give you any detail and answer concerning the church.Happy to meet him this very passionated person
"
Importance.He cleaned and restaured the icon and from now on we can admire this work of art .The name is not so clear
but when you magnify the foto you can see the name in black colour.BUT another thing you admire is father KONSTANTINOS
always ready to give you any detail and answer concerning the church.Happy to meet him this very passionated person
"
Written May 28, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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