Description of the attraction
The Metropolis, or the temple of Panagia Spiliotissa, is the cathedral of one of the oldest dioceses of the Greek Orthodox Church of the Metropolis of Kerkyra, Paxia and Diapontic Islands. The cathedral is located in the historical center of the eponymous capital of the island of Corfu (Kerkyra) and is one of the most beautiful churches of the island, as well as an important historical and architectural monument.
The original building of the cathedral of Panagia Spiliotis was built in the second half of the 16th century on the site of the destroyed church of St. Blasius of Sevastia. The new temple was consecrated in honor of the Mother of God Spiliotissa, the patron saint of the island of Corfu, St. Blasius of Sevastia and Blessed Fedora (Byzantine empress, revered by the church as a saint for the restoration of icon veneration). In the 18th century, the temple was reconstructed in the Baroque style. In 1864, after George I ascended the throne of the Greek state, in honor of whose coronation Great Britain donated, along with the other Ionian Islands, the island of Corfu, the church received the status of the cathedral of the Diocese of Kerkyra.
The Cathedral of Panagia Spiliotisa is an impressive three-aisled basilica with a very unusual and striking façade. A wide marble staircase leads to the entrance to the cathedral. The interior of the church is also very interesting. Among the many icons that adorn the cathedral, there are works by Mikhail Damaskin (St. George, 16th century), Panayotis Paramytis (The Mystery of the Supper, 18th century) and Emmanuel Mpunialis (Martyr Govdelas, 17th century). Of particular value is the icon of Panagia Dimosiana of Ioannina, dating from the 14th century. The Byzantine carved iconostasis also deserves special attention. The main relics of the cathedral are the relics of Blessed Fedora, transported to the island of Corfu in 1460, and particles of the relics of the holy martyr Blasius.
