The monastery of Hosios Loukas is located on the western slopes of Mount Helicon near the ancient acropolis of Steiris in central Greece. A treasure of 11th-century Byzantine architecture, the historic complex is considered to be the most striking example of the second golden age of Byzantine art in Greece, also known as the Middle Byzantine style.
Founded in the early 10th century by St. Luke, a local hermit famous for predicting Emperor Romanos’s conquest of Crete, the walled monastery comprises several buildings. Two orthodox churches stand side-by-side with a crypt nearby that houses the saint’s relics.
The church of the Virgin Mary (who is also known as the Theotokos in Eastern Christianity) is the oldest church of the complex and features a grandiose exterior and a cross-in-square plan. Erected during St. Luke’s lifetime, the church has cloisonné masonry-style walls, a decorative technique characterized by light blocks of stone surrounded by dark-red bricks and forming decorative motifs. Considered a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture, churches of southern Greece copied the exterior.
A highlight of the Hosios Loukas Monastery is the interior of the Katholikon church, shaped as a Greek cross like the Church of the Virgin Mary. The church hosts carved murals and mosaics on a gold background, typical of the Middle Byzantine style, and multicolored marble slabs, silk curtains, altar cloths, and grandiose chandeliers. The church’s breathtaking iconography represents the abundance and variety of the expressive Byzantine style.
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Ariane Triebswetter
Author
Ariane Triebswetter is an international freelance journalist, with a background in modern literature and classical music.