Catholic Church Of Saint Dionysius The Areopagite in Athens

The Church of Saint Dionysius The Areopagite is found on the prestigious downtown Skoufa street at the area of Kolonaki. It is dedicated to the protector Saint of Athens, Saint Dionysius the Areopagite, who was converted to Christianity and became the city’s first bishop.

The church was originally built upon the location of a former smaller temple, and the construction process begun in 1925 while it was completed in 1931. Architectonic wise, it belongs to the category of cruciform churches, having an imposing dome. The church’s design was assigned to the renowned Byzantinologist Anastasios Orlandos, while the architect Dimitrios Philippakis contributed to the resurgence process. The temple also exhibits neo-baroque and neoclassical architectural elements.

The artistic value of the edifice, regarding its exterior and especially its interior, is outstanding. For its decoration, a team of the finest artists and craftsmen combined their forces, and the result of their fruitful collaboration awes the visitor. The impressive illustrations were executed by the famous painter Spiros Vasiliou. Additionally, Sotirios Varvoglis and Stefanos Xenopoulos were in charge of the exquisite mosaics, while Theofanis Nomikos crafted the breathtaking woodwork.

Many of the religious furniture and decorative items are donations of prominent Athenian families. The temple’s celebration day is October 3rd, while it functions as the city’s official Cathedral until the completion of the restoration operations at the original Metropolis at Syntagma.