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The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation (Greek: Καθεδρικός Ναός Ευαγγελισμού της Θεοτόκου, romanized: Kathedrikós Naós Evangelismoú tis Theotókou), popularly known as the Metropolis or Mitropoli (Greek: Μητρόπολη, romanized: Mitrópoli), is the cathedral church of the Archbishopric of Athens and all of Greece.

History

Construction of the cathedral began on Christmas Day, 1842 with the laying of the cornerstone by King Otto and Queen Amalia. Construction started under the architect Theophil Hansen and was continued by Dimitris Zezos, Panagis Kalkos and François Boulanger.

Workers used marble from 72 demolished churches to build the cathedral's immense walls. Three architects and 20 years later, it was completed. On 21 May 1862, the completed cathedral was dedicated to the Annunciation of the Mother of God (Ευαγγελισμός της Θεοτόκου) by the King and Queen. The cathedral is a three-aisled, domed basilica that measures 130 feet (40 m) long, 65 feet (20 m) wide, and 80 feet (24 m) high. Inside are the tombs of two saints killed by the Ottoman Turks during the Ottoman period: Saint Philothei and Patriarch Gregory V.

• Saint Philothei built a convent, was martyred in 1589, and her bones are still visible in a silver reliquary. She is honoured for ransoming Greek women enslaved in Ottoman Empire's harems.
• Gregory V the Ethnomartyr, Patriarch of Constantinople, was hanged by order of Sultan Mahmud II and his body thrown into the Bosphorus in 1821, in retaliation for the Greek uprising on 25 March, leading to the Greek War of Independence. His body was rescued by Greek sailors and eventually enshrined in Athens.

To the immediate south of the cathedral is the little Church of St. Eleftherios also called the "Little Mitropoli".

In the Mitropoleos Square in front of the cathedral stand two statues. The first is that of Constantine XI, the last emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. The second is a statue of Archbishop Damaskinos who was Archbishop of Athens during World War II and was Regent for King George II and Prime Minister of Greece in 1946.

The Metropolitan Cathedral remains a major landmark in Athens and the site of important ceremonies with national political figures present, as well as weddings and funerals of notable personalities.

Gallery

• View of the dome
• Entrance
• Interior
• Interior
• Virgin Mary with Child icon
• Jesus Christ painted around the late 1800s
• Reliquary containing the relics of Saint Gregory V of Constantinople
• The shrine of St Philothei
• Enthronement ceremony of Archbishop Ieronymos

Sources

• Sacred Destinations
• Church of Greece

v t e Churches and monasteries in Greece
Aegean Islands	Hagios Spyridon Holy Trinity Panagia Episkopi Panagia tou Kastrou Saint Ignatius Saint Irene Nea Moni of Chios Our Lady of Tinos Panagia Gremniotissa Panagia Kanala Saint Francis of Assisi Saint George Saint John the Baptist Therapon Three Bells of Fira
Central Greece	Daphnion Hagia Triada Holy Apostles Holy Trinity Holy Trinity Hosios Loukas Little Metropolis Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens Omorfoklissia Panagia Kapnikarea Panagia Pantobasilissa Pantanassa church Saint Dionysius the Areopagite Saint Gregory the Illuminator Saint Irene Saint Panteleimon
Crete	Agia Triada Agios Minas Arkadi Assumption Cathedral Panagia Kera Presentation of Virgin Mary Saint Mark Saint Nicholas Saint Titus
Epirus	Panagia Molybdoskepastos Panagia Paregoretissa Red Church Saint Paraskevi
Ionian Islands	Saints James and Christopher Saint Mark Saint Spyridon
Macedonia	Baptistery of John the Baptist Acheiropoietos Hagia Sophia, Drama Hagia Sophia, Thessaloniki Hagios Demetrios Holy Apostles Hosios David Immaculate Conception Old Metropolis, Veria Pammegistoi Taxiarches Panagia Chalkeon Prophet Elijah Protaton Saint Gregory Palamas Saint Catherine Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas Orphanos Saint Panteleimon Saint Paraskeva Savior church Vlatades
Peloponnese	Brontochion Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia Makelaria Panagia Trypiti Pantanassa Pantocrator Patapios Peribleptos Saint Andrew
Thessaly	Holy Trinity Makrinitissa Panagia Olympiotissa Porta Panagia
Thrace	Theotokos Kosmosoteira
Greece portal Churches in Greece Christianity in Greece Churches by country

37°58′31″N 23°43′49″E / 37.975253°N 23.730158°E / 37.975253; 23.730158

• Cathedrals in Athens
• Eastern Orthodox church buildings in Athens
• Greek Orthodox cathedrals in Greece
• 1862 establishments in Greece
• Church buildings with domes