   |
Thessaloniki, Greece, 1997 |
||
In 1997 a small group of members of the Association travelled to Thessaloniki to see the Mt. Athos icons. It was the first time ever that the holy community of Mt. Athos allowed any of their icons to be exhibited outside the monastery, to be viewed by the general public. It was the most important of the many exhibitions and events that had been planned in Thessaloniki, which was designated the Cultural Capital of Europe for that year.
|
|
Maria, a lady we had met, brought us to this exhibition. We had met her the previous night in a wine shop and she was so taken with the idea of an Irish group being interested in Greece and Byzantine culture, that she insisted on showing us around.
Maria drove us to visit the Church of St. Dimitrius, a fourth century basilica, and then to the old city up the hill and the monastery of St. Paul – more icons. While their bells rang out, we were present for part of the Orthodox Liturgy. Maria insisted on taking us to the restaurant where she normally dines, and treated us to a lovely meal, including wines. She offered to do the same the next night, so we went along. I was careful to leave the table well before the end of the meal, so that we could pay the bill, but I was informed by the head waiter that he couldn’t take any money as it was all paid for – magnificent Greek hospitality.
|
The group flew to Zurich and took in an icon exhibition there, before flying on to Thessaloniki which is a bustling, crowded city, the second city in Greece and the ancient capital of Byzantium. Our hotel was a very pleasant twenty minute walk along the sea front to the Museum of Byzantine Civilization, where the Mt. Athos exhibition was being held. So, each morning for a week, we strolled along by the sea to drink in the beauty of the exhibits. There were works from twenty five of the monasteries and sketes of Mt. Athos and included in addition to icons, illuminated manuscripts, sculpture, embroidery, ceramics, maps and models. |
||
 |
On another pleasant occasion, two of us stumbled into a concert of traditional music, given by groups from all the different countries around the Mediterranean. It was very informal and very haunting.
Probably the most outstanding aspect of the entire visit was the great catalogues from both the Mt. Athos and Cyprus exhibitions, with reproductions of so many icons. We also managed to bring back numerous large icon prints, which were made available to other members of the Association. It was indeed a memorable visit, which we will not easily forget. |
|
Fearghal O'Farrell |
||
The exhibition was arranged so that viewers were led first through the archaeological display, then the details of the early Christian daily life; through frescos, many galleries of icons and tiers of iconostasis and on through a large room showing a Pieta and finally a magnificent Resurrection.
We also visited an excellent exhibition of icons from Cyprus, though not anything on the scale of the Mt. Athos one, but it still had some beautiful icons. There was a magnificent exhibition of gold artefacts along with ancient sculpture, much of it from the Macedonian area. We also went to yet another exhibition, totally devoted to Alexander the Great. There were over one thousand paintings – all of Alexander – and the mounting of the exhibition itself was worth seeing. |
|
|
