St. Nicholas Fountoukli Church

Passing through the villages Archipoli and Psinthos,you reach Eleousa. By following the road west of the village you arrive in Agios Nikolaos Fountoukli. The church dates from the 14th to 15th century A.D. and is a central square building covered with a dome. The frescoes, which date also from the 14th to 15th century A.D., show some iconographic peculiarities. The two portraits of the donors make us assume that one of them was a senior byzantine administrative officer who dedicated the church to Agios Nikolaos. In the south wall of the western apse, the portrait depicts the founder with his wife beneath a decorative bow holding a model of the temple.

At the same time, they pray to the statue of Christ that stands above them, receiving his blessing. What;s important in this church is the triple composition of the frescoes in the apse. In the north wall depicts the founder’s three children a girl and two boys, praying beneath the bust of Christ-Emmanuel. From the inscriptions accompanying them, we learn that they have all died. The temple was built and decorated probably in their memory. The artist custom made the frescoes. He drew the children in Paradise. Decorative elements with birds symbolize Paradise. Equally important is that Christ, blessing the deceased children is depicted as a child and not a bearded adult. Many who visit the church claim to hear the voices of the children.

References:

• visitrhodes.com

Address

Eparchiaki Odos Profiti Ilia, Eleousa, Greece

Details

Founded: 14th century
Category: Religious sites in Greece