Church of Kerykos & Ioulitta

At the centre of Veroia, hidden among the modern buildings, survives one of the most important Byzantine churches of the city, which is connected to the architecture and the artistic tradition of Thessaloniki and is dedicated to the saints Kerykos and Ioulitta.

It was constructed in the 14th century by the bishop Makarios, according to the ceramic inscription that survives on the external side of the altar area. In the end of the 14th century it was the catholicon of a men’s stauropegic monastery, as it is obvious in patriarchal documents, but in the 16th century it had lost this status and was already a parish church. It was used throughout the period of the Turkish occupation, something that is evident by the many alterations that have been made. In its initial form it was a cross-in with a dome church, but possibly in the 16th entry due to the collapse of the dome it was converted into single-aisled, wooden-roofed and later they added a portico to its three sides. Externally, at the arch of the altar area, it has a rich ceramic decoration, which gives him a special aspect.

At its interior it was decorated with icons that belong to three stages. The older ones are from the 14th century and survive in fragments, while from the icons of the end of the 15th century survive representations on the external western and southern wall. As the inscription over the entrance of the church mentions, the renewal of the icons was made in 1589, with the funding of wealthy “Mr. Kostis” and is the work of a local painter. At the main church, the representations are organized in three zones: at the upper one there are scenes from the Dodekaorton (the twelve most important celebrations in the year), in the middle scenes from the life of Prophet Elias and other themes and in the lower the full figures of saints. Particular interest has the rare, marble screen, which belongs to the initial stage of the construction of the church, but at a later period it was reshaped with the closing of the openings and the depiction on the surfaces that were created of the enthroned figures of Christ and Virgin Mary.