Tris Ierarches(Three Hierarchs) Metropolitan Church
The Three Hierarchs Church was built in 1846, at the center of the island’s main city, over the old port. What features prominently inside the church, at its left transept, is the magnificent wood-carving throne, where the icon of ‘Eikonistria Holy Mary’ -the patron saint of the island- is placed.
Moreover, there is one historical fact of great importance regarding the church: at the exact same place where today’s church is built, there used to be the island’s old Three Saints Holy Church until 1823, when it was destroyed by the Turks. Of course, several restoration efforts were made until 1845, when it was utterly demolished, since it did not suffice for the parish’s needs. As a result, today’s Metropolitan Three Saints Church replaced it. Also, we should not neglect to mention that all reconstruction’s expenses were covered by the community as the two inscriptions prove.
The church was officially inaugurated, with great glory, on Sunday, 24th of November, 1846. The most astonishing part of the building is, doubtlessly, its marble iconostasis: it was crafted in 1883 and included many gothic elements, since the original design was meant to decorate a Catholic church in Lyon, France. The iconostasis’ six, portable, saints’ icons were crafted at Mount Athos, in 1890. Furthermore, the church guards various heirlooms of immense religious importance, as well as many icons which date back from the 17th up to the 20th century. Plenty of these relics have been taken from Skiathos’ Castle’s churches and are considered a major cultural heritage.
Over forty chapels fall under the Three Hierarchs parish, together
with another two chapels located inside the church itself: Saint Dionysios of Olympus’ and Saint Thomas the Apostle’s chapels. The church, also, keeps a number of sacred saints’ remains (inside silver reliquaries), just like Saints Floros and Lauros’, in whose honor the locals built a beautiful chapel on Tsougkria island where they host a grand festival every year, on the 18th of August.
In addition, the Three Saints Church played a crucial role in Alexandros Papadiamantis’ and in Alexandros Moraitidis’ lives, the island’s most renowned novelists, as it helped them embrace and develop their religiousness.
Lastly, another remarkable fact regarding the church is that, during Easter’s reverential rituals, the procession of the bier of Christ does not begin at Good Friday’s night, as happens with the rest of the country. Yet, it starts on the very first morning hours of Holy Saturday, following Mount Athos’ old customs. The Three Saints are celebrated every year on the 30th of December.
