The Church of Christ the Saviour, Thessaloniki

The small Byzantine church of the Soter (Christ the Saviour) stands on modern Egnatia Street in Thessaloniki, to the west of the arch of Galerius.  This is a brief account of the archaeological excavation carried out after the 1978 earthquake, focusing on the wall paintings. 150 illustrations most in colour. Bilingual Greek and English

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The small Byzantine church of the Soter (Christ the Saviour) stands on modern Egnatia Street in Thessaloniki, to the west of the arch of Galerius. Its name is preserved from the Ottoman period in the oral tradition alone. Tradition also provides the information that the people of Thessaloniki, particularly families who had lost children, used to baptise their infants in the small church and give the child the name of the Soter invoking his protection for their children.

This short monograph on the little church of Christ the Saviour in Thessaloniki, is a brief account of the findings of the archaeological excavation that was carried out as part of the work of restoration of the damage caused during the 1978 earthquake.

Special emphasis is placed on the iconographic and stylistic analysis of the wall paintings of the monument. The objective is to give prominence to the theological and artistic value of this significant, though little known, Byzantine monument in the second most important city of the Byzantine empire.

Parallel text Greek and English