Church of the Nativity of Christ (Christokopidou) at Psyrri

Modest grandeur is the designation that one can attribute to the church of the nativity of the Christ. The church is linked to the prominent family of Kopidis, a fact which led also to the name ‘Christokopidi’ namely, Christ of Kopidis. Today what has only remained to remind the days when the church was privately owned is a commemorative marble plaque to the right of the entrance with the inscription ‘LARGE BENEFACTORS THE KOPIDIS FAMILY 1682-1810’. The church is located at Psyrri, on the pedestrian way at 2, Christokopidou Str., near the old Jewish neighborourhood. It is speculated that in ancient times there was a pagan church dedicated to Athena Pallas. According to existing sources, in the first church was also an underground crypt decorated with murals. The present church, built at the location of an older Christian church of smaller dimensions, is a structure of 1860. It is a domed cruciform four-columned church with a transept, a long western aisle and a pi-shaped gallery. A stair with a railing leads to the gallery. At the two ends of the western side two bell-towers were constructed. The architect of the church is not known. It belongs to the borderline between neoclassicism and neo-Byzantinism. From the older church the marble Holy Altar of early Christian origin has been preserved, which is based on a columnette. The iconostasis is built, tripartite with a simple iconographic programme. At the northern aisle, at the bema doors of the Prothesis, is depicted archangel Michael. On either side of the gate, instead of portable icons, there are murals of Saint Nikolaos and Saint Spyridon. Correspondingly, at the southern aisle, on either side of the bema doors of the Diaconicon with the archangel Michael one observes the murals of Saint Alexander and Saint Athanasios. The church was crafted with icon paintings in various phases. On the conch of the Sanctuary looms Virgin Mary as Platytera, enthroned with a kneeling angel at the right and one at her left. On the conch of the Prothesis is preserved the Nativity of Jesus, while at the Diaconicon, the Baptism, a work by Economou, of 1920. The dome and the pendentives bear the Pantokrator and on the drum are twelve prophets. Exhibit 3: On the pendentives there have been crafted the icon paintings of the four Evangelists, works by Asprogerakas, of 1915. On the southern transverse recess are located five depictions. At the lower zone is depicted Saint James the Brother of the Lord and Saint John the Theologian. On the upper zone Saint Dimitrios. In the middle over the southern gate, the large depiction of the Transfiguration and in turn Saint George. Correspondingly, at the opposite northern, transverse recess are located other five depictions. At the lower zone Paul the Apostle and Peter the Apostle. On the upper zone the labarum (flag) of Constantine the Great ‘IN THIS THOU SHALL WIN’ [‘EN TOUTO NIKA’]. In the middle, over the northern gate, the large depiction of the Preparation for the Crucifixion, with the title: JESUS CHRIST DRAGGED TO THE CRUCIFIX and in turn the Cross with the instruments of martyrdom. The murals are works by Economou and are dated around the middle of the 1920s. At the side walls are located the more recent western-style depictions of the Annunciation, the Nativity of the Theotokos and the Entrance of the Theotokos to the Temple.