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The chapel of St. Spyridon belongs to the Parish of the Annunciation of the Virgin in the historical village of Verga at Messenian Mani, Greece.

The chapel belongs to the type of single-naved church with a prominent shield for the Sanctuary in a hemispherical plan. Inside the chancel, frescoes of the 18th century are preserved, providing a chronological terminus for the construction of the church. Therefore, the building dates to the pre-revolutionary period and is automatically protected by the provisions of Law 3028/2002 "On the protection of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage in general".

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The work for the renewal of the chapel runs under the framework of Archive 1.0  of Karoussos Archives which concerns the reinstatement of monuments, regarding their artistic values and their reintegration into the contemporary social environment. 

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 Archive 1.0 includes the preservation and dissemination of the work of the late Yiannis Karoussos and the Byzantine monumental painting at large. With creative editing, high technology, and innovative processing, the monumental artwork remains alive, avoiding its ever-growing erroneous copies and the danger of its extinction due to environmental conditions. Moreover, it creates promising vistas for the evolution of Byzantine monumental paintings. 

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The variety in the periods of Byzantine art in St. Spyridon chapel demonstrates its ability for constant renewal. From the existing pre-revolutionary frescoes of the Sanctuary and the Nazarene paintings of the templon's icons to the post-Byzantine work of Karoussos and the creation of hybrid frescoes, the composition yields a harmonious ensemble, like Karoussos himself introduced in the church of St. Theodore at the Palatine Hill of Rome; the rotunda of the 8th century, where the Roman mosaics of the Sanctuary, converses with the Renaissance motifs and the post-byzantine work of the artist.

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The Chapel of Saint Spyridon at the foot of Taygetus represents a monument whose roots lead to the heart of Maniot history, reflecting its great Byzantine tradition.
The incomparable value of the Byzantine cultural heritage lies in the Indefinite innovative character of Byzantine monumental painting. The preservation of this heritage requires the integration of the monuments in our contemporary context, always with respect to their religious and monumental character. St. Spyridon chapel is one shining example of the living memory of Byzantine culture, but also of its promising continuation. 

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COUNTRY 

Greece

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LOCATION

Verga, Messenian Mani

Peloponnese

37°00'03.8"N 22°09'57.0"E

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PROJECT PERIOD

December 2019- December 2020

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METHOD

Hybrid Frescoes

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FRAMEWORK

Archive 1.0.

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DONORS

-The George & Victoria Karelias Foundation

-Metropolis of Mani

-Karoussos Archives

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CONTRIBUTORS

-Ephorate of Antiquities of Messenia

Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports

-The Parish of the Annunciation of Mary

Verga village, Messenia, Peloponnese

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