Organizations from Greece and Albania collaborate to preserve a temple in Mesopotamia

The European Center for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies of Thessaloniki and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports of Albania are collaborating to preserve the church-monument of Saint Nicholas in Mesopotamia, Agioi Saranda.

Specifically, this collaboration involves scientists from the European Center for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies in Thessaloniki, Greek experts in Cultural Heritage, Scientists from the Institute of Cultural Heritage of Albania, as well as from the Archaeology of Vlora.

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The monastery of Saint Nicholas of Mesopotamia, Agioi Saranda, is a unique example of ecclesiastical architecture in Albania.

Today, only the imposing church of the monastery survives, which is double-naved and is covered with four domes, which rest on the outer walls and a central column.

Domes and pediments, columns and ceramic decorations show the splendor of the building and its elegant and masterful architectural form, unsurpassed in its kind.

Ανατολικά προεξείχαν δύο πεντάπλευρες αψίδες –σήμερα έχουν αντικατασταθεί από μια πεντάπλευρη- ενώ στοές, που δεν σώζονται, περιβάλλανε το κτίριο από τρεις πλευρές. Το πλινθοπερίκλιστο σύστημα δομής και ο πλούσιος κεραμοπλαστικός διάκοσμος, καθώς και το περιστώο δίνουν μια πρωτοτυπία για τα δεδομένα της περιοχής και θυμίζουν τη ναοδομία του Δεσποτάτου της Ηπείρου. Κτίστηκε, σύμφωνα με μια παράδοση το 306 μ. Χ. από το Μεγάλο Κωνσταντίνο. Καταστράφηκε και ξαναχτίστηκε από το Κωνσταντίνο Θ΄ τον Μονομάχο (1042-1045).

In 1205, a monastic school of kalyvogramma (priests taught reading, writing and the psalter) operated in the narthex of the Monastery of Agios Nikolaos with students from the surrounding villages. Architectural elements, such as columns, capitals and reliefs from the ruins of ancient Phoenicia, which is located nearby, were used on the walls of the church, in the cells and in the other buildings.

This glorious monument from the depths of time reminds us that the christian response to life is not to deny everything material and earthly in the name of the spiritual and heavenly element of life.

But it makes us understand that the body, the soul, and this very life, become a shining temple of God, when we follow Him and are illuminated by His truth and sanctified by His grace.