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Church of St. Athanasius of Mouzaki

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For other uses, see St. Athanasius' Church (disambiguation).

St. Athanasius of Mouzaki (Greek: Άγιος Αθανάσιος του Μουζάκη) is a Greek Orthodox church located in Kastoria, Greece.[1][2] It was built in 1383–84 by the brothers Teodor II Muzaka and Stoya Muzaka of the house of Muzaka, a noble Albanian family that controlled the city at the time, and dedicated to St. Athanasius[1][2] It is considered one of the most important monuments of 14th century Kastoria and is the last church built in Kastoria before its annexation by the Ottoman Empire.[2]

Church of Saint Athanasius of Mouzaki
Ναός του Αγίου Αθανασίου του Μουζάκη
Shën Thanasi i Muzakajve
Church of St. Athanasius of Mouzaki in 2010
Religion
AffiliationEastern Orthodox
LeadershipGreek Orthodox Church
Location
LocationKastoria, Greece
Geographic coordinates40°30′55″N 21°16′02″E / 40.5152°N 21.2672°E / 40.5152; 21.2672
Architecture
TypeChurch
StyleByzantine architecture
FounderTeodor II Muzaka and Stoya Muzaka
Completed1384

Decorations

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The church is decorated with scenes of saints dressed in Byzantine clothing, a typical feature of Byzantine iconography. The frescoes are remarkable for depicting for the first time in Byzantine iconography, Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary in imperial costume.[3] The depiction of Virgin Mary as a queen is an atypical feature for the Byzantine iconography.[4] Another unusual feature of the church is that, despite the fact that St. Alexander is traditionally not included among the ranks of military saints,[5] the church of St Athanasius of Mouzaki is decorated with a portrait of St. Alexander and St. Mercurios in military clothing. Within the church is also a fresco of Saint George who is painted rather strange and particularly odd in the Byzantine-styled art. He is wearing a mantle and a cloak that has a double-headed eagle with a star in the middle, similar to the one that the Byzantine emperor John V Palaiologos rewarded to Andrea II Muzaka from his victory over Vukašin of Serbia. This could possibly imply that during the Middle Ages, Andrea was viewed as a great warrior of God by the Albanian people.[6][7][8]

Legacy

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The church influenced greatly the artistic production of Kastoria and Western Macedonia in the late 14th and early 15th century.[9][clarification needed]

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Images of the Church

See also

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Sources

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saint Athanasius of Mouzakis Church.
  1. ^ a b Facaros, Dana; Theodorou, Linda (2003). Greece. New Holland Publishers. p. 563. ISBN 1-86011-898-4.
  2. ^ a b c "St Athanasius of Mouzakis" (in Greek). Kastoria City. Retrieved 12 July 2010.
  3. ^ Herrin, Judith (2013). Unrivalled Influence: Women and Empire in Byzantium. Princeton University Press. p. 172. ISBN 9780691153216. The first time Christ and the Virgin appear in imperial costume occurs only outside the empire in Kastoria and on the eve of the Ottoman conquest in 1384-85.
  4. ^ Vassilaki, Maria (2000). Mother of God: representations of the Virgin in Byzantine art. Skira. p. 129. ISBN 88-8118-738-8.
  5. ^ Walter, Christopher (2003). The warrior saints in Byzantine art and tradition. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 245. ISBN 1-84014-694-X.
  6. ^ Pëllumb Xhufi 2009 Nga Paleologët te Muzakajt https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25646261-nga-paleolog-t-te-muzakajt
  7. ^ https://shqiptarja.com/uploads/gazeta/2018/01/shq-05-01-2018.pdf
  8. ^ https://shqiptarja.com/lajm/shen-gjergji-ne-kishen-e-kosturit-br-apo-princi-arber-andrea-muzaka-br
  9. ^ Myrtalē Acheimastou-Potamianou, ed. (1988). Holy image, holy space: icons and frescoes from Greece. Greek Ministry of Culture. p. 194.
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