Religious monuments of Old Xanthi
This route is about 2.3 km, about 70 minutes and of moderate difficulty. The visitor will have the opportunity to tour religious monuments of old Xanthi. From the Sunne mosque to the chapel of Agioi Theodoroi you will find a reasonable number of Christian churches and chapels, mosques and the Catholic church that testify to the religious identity of the inhabitants and at the same time highlight the multicultural and multireligious character that the city of Xanthi had and still has today.

Their position in the urban fabric of the city highlights the importance of their character (with the layout of secular buildings around them), the need of residents for religious expression and their timeless peaceful coexistence. Of interest are both their architectural configuration and their interior decoration with icons, frescoes, wood carvings on the iconostasis in Christian churches and tiles with floral decoration in the mihrab of the mosques.

71. Chapel of Agia Varvara

Brief documentation:

The Chapel of Agia Varvara is located in the courtyard of the 1st Kindergarten of Xanthi, which was built in 1881 and was donated by Panagiotis Stalios, benefactor of the city, and his wife Fotini. It dates back to the construction of the Kindergarten.
It belongs to the parish of the Akathist Hymn and today continues to celebrate on December 4, the day they bring the so-called
"Varvara porridge". In fact, in the past, on the feast day of the saint, the students of the Kindergarten, Primary and High School that used to exist in this same courtyard did not have lessons, as the saint of their court was celebrated.
Varvara is a sweet porridge traditionally made in Thrace with cereals, legumes, dried fruits and fruits. Ideally, it was served warm, sprinkled with cinnamon and garnished with nuts.
According to tradition, the housewives of Thrace prepared the varvara on the eve of the feast of Saint Barbara, that is, on December 3rd. On the day of the feast, it was distributed from dawn to houses that had children, so that the saint would protect them. The custom is associated with the belief that Saint Barbara can intercede for the treatment of smallpox.
The chapel is a small one-room building. The entrance door is on the north side, while there are two windows on the south. The chapel has a gabled roof with tiles, while the apse of the altar, which protrudes to the east, has a separate lower roof.


Category of thematic interest:  RELIGIOUS INTEREST


History:

The Chapel of Agia Varvara is located in the courtyard of the 1st Kindergarten of Xanthi, which was built in 1881 and was donated by Panagiotis Stalios, benefactor of the city, and his wife Fotini. It dates back to the construction of the Kindergarten.
It belongs to the parish of the Akathist Hymn and today continues to celebrate on December 4, the day they bring the so-called
"Varvara porridge". In fact, in the past, on the feast day of the saint, the students of the Kindergarten, Primary and High School that used to exist in this same courtyard did not have lessons, as the saint of their court was celebrated.


Elements of architecture:

The chapel is a small one-room building. The entrance door is on the north side, while there are two windows on the south. The chapel has a gabled roof with tiles, while the apse of the altar, which protrudes to the east, has a separate lower roof; A small bell has been attached to the northeast corner of the building.


Description of other elements:

Varvara is a sweet porridge traditionally made in Thrace with cereals, legumes, dried fruits and fruits. Ideally, it was served warm, sprinkled with cinnamon and garnished with nuts.
According to tradition, the housewives of Thrace prepared the varvara on the eve of the feast of Saint Barbara, that is, on December 3rd. On the day of the feast, it was distributed from dawn to houses that had children, so that the saint would protect them. The custom is associated with the belief that Saint Barbara can intercede for the treatment of smallpox.


Purpose - Use: Church building


Characterization: 
9. Characterization    Preservable, Institution of the Ministry of Culture, Decision DILAP/C/11/63051, Government Gazette 73/86


Dating (period): Late 19th century


Year of construction: Late 19th century


Location of the monument: 41.14463666201426, 24.88722311878983


Bibliographic references:

•    "Churches, Monasteries and Chapels of the Old Town", Thomas Exarchou, Old Town Celebrations, 2000
•    "The Churches of Old Xanthi", Georgios Tsigaras, Municipal Development Enterprise of Xanthi, Holy Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheoriou, 2008


 Address: Matsini 1


Visitable: No

 

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