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The temple of Panaya of Ekatontapiliani today is as big as a monastery. It is surrounded by a walled fence which has a perimeter of 252 and a height of 8.5 meters. This enclosure between the western wall and the facade of the temple, forms a wide yard which measures about 42x34 meters. The yard is enclosed on three sides, the north, the west and the south by two rows of cells. These buildings i.e. the enclosure, the yard and the cells were constructed and rectified in different epochs. First the enclosure was built during the French empire in order to guard the temple from frequent pirate invasions. Later the monastery cells were added and were completed in the 17th century.
These cells have been renovated and the episcopacy, the offices of the Holy Shrine, the ceremonial hall, and the Museum are situated here. The latter contains many Byzantine and post Byzantine icons, other holy church equipment, vestments, the old Epitaphios from the 17th century etc.
East of the two gardens in the yard, there are 5 unenclosed tombs of noble families of Paros, of the 19th century. The great heroine of the Revolution of 1821, Manto Mavroyenis, who died in Paros in 1848 had also been buried here.
Once the worshipper passes the steel door of the main building of Ekatontapiliani he confronts the facade of the temple, which is most impressive because of its antiquity and its big three - foiled gate. The marble foundations and a few pillars in front of it, are the remnants of a marble building with arcades from the 4th century, which formed the atrium of the temple. There was a flask for atonement in the middle, a huge marble basin where the believers symbolically washed their hands before entering the temple of God. Today we can still see plenty of pieces to the left of the base of the atrium.
The existence of the atrium of the 4th century proves that there was a temple at that site and that the temple was built by imperial funds. The reason was that only the rich basilicas and temples which were built by imperial grants had an atrium in the 4th century. Thus, the version that the Ekatontapiliani was originally built by St. Helen or her son, the Emperor Constantine in the 4th century is true.
THE NARTHEX
From this three - foiled open gate of the facade of the temple, we continue
and enter the Narthex. There are many tombs here. It is obvious that this place
was used as the final residence of important people, all who gave generously
for the restoration and the renovation of the temple. Amongst those were Nicholas
Kondilis (1681), Nicholas Voutzaras (1617) and George Mavroyenis (1870).
THE OLD MONUMENTAL GATE AND ITS LEGEND
A little distance from the chapel of St. Theodosia, in the northern wing of the building complex of Ekatontapiliani, we see the big monumental gate. This gate was brought there by Professor Orlandos during the restoration of Ekantontapiliani from the central gate of the Narthex of the big temple which was found there then. It is rich in marble decoration which contains bizarre columns on the top of which there is a pediment with a cornice and anthemium at the top. These columns are supported on cubical bases which have two human forms sculpted on them. These forms are related to the following legend.
"The pupil of the chief craftsman who built St. Sophia in Constantinople, built the Justinian temple of Ekatontapiliani. When he finished the temple the pupil invited the teacher to show him his work. The chief craftsman saw the perfection of the work and was afraid that perhaps the pupil would overshadow his reputation and his glory. Pretending therefore an architectural fault, he took him to the roof of the temple. From there the chief craftsman pushed his pupil with intent to kill him. The pupil however held on to the teacher and finally they both fell and were killed in front of the temple. The two sculpted forms, which are on the base of these gates, depict the chief craftsman and the pupil who were killed there".
This is a nice legend because the two forms have no connection with the architects or the craftsmen of Ekatontapiliani and St. Sophia. They are two satyrs who were taken from the old temple of Dionysos.
With this legend we end our tour of the old Christian temple of Panaya Ekatontapiliani.
We sincerely hope that Our Lady will help and support all those true believers who come to this holy temple of Orthodoxy, which is a building of Saints and emperors, to pray under its ancient vaults and worship its Holy Icon.
Her grace is to protect and to bless them.