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As we enter the main temple (30 x 25m) from the Narthex we are astounded by its impression. The size, the simplicity, the inner harmony and the antique-look of this temple gives it a unison which is enthralling. We move to the center of this cross-shaped temple and we can see it has a colonnade in the north, south and the west whereas on the top i.e. the gynaeceum, it has a series of square pillars. These square pillars are shaped in a cross which form the four vaults in the middle and the "cross - vaults" on the sides. The dome is where the four vaults cross, and is held on all four spherical triangles and four big columns. A second proof that there was a temple before the Justinian epoch is that if these four pillars were originally built to support the dome, they would have formed a square; we see however that the base is ellipsoidal. Therefore, although the temple was cross-shaped from the beginning it didn’t have a dome. It was a cross-shaped wooden-roofed basilica, which in the Justinian epoch took on its current shape. On the two of the four spherical triangles, on which the dome is supported, six winged seraphims are painted on them. We can only see such seraphim on spherical angles in St. Sophia in Constantinople.
We know that the Byzantines used to build their temples over pre-Christian, that is idolworshipped buildings. They did this for two reasons. The first was purely practical: they found ready — made material, marble, columns etc. which they used for their own temples, and the second was psychological.
They wanted to prove in this way that the new religion "had won" the old. That is why there are two pre-Christian buildings underneath the Ekatontapiliani which were discovered by Professor Orlandos during the restoration of the temple. One was 1.5 meters deep from the current floor of the temple. Also, four marble columns were found. Three of them were covered again, but the fourth has remained uncovered. The visitor can see it if he moves along the wooden step, which is found in front of the "book stand" of the right "cantor’s chorus". The other pre-Christian building was found at a depth of 0.8 meters It was a marvelous mosaic floor with the Labor of Hercules on it and it belonged to a gymnasium in Roman times. This flooring has been transferred and is now sited in the yard of the Archaeological Museum.
We are now in the center of the temple. Our eyes wander high to the vaults and the dome. The eastern and southern vault have remained intact as well as the bottom part of the dome. Here we see alternating yellowish, greenish and reddish limestone stripes which have conspicuous decoration and show that in the beginning the vaults and the dome of the Justinian "Katapoliani" were not covered by mosaics or frescoes. The northern and western vaults though, as mentioned before, which fell down during the earthquake of 1733 have been rebuilt. The northern was reconstructed with its own limestone but not in the right color order, whilst the western vault and the top part of the dome were restored with other material during the construction of the temple because their Iimestones were completely destroyed.
While this was happening to the vaults and dome there was the famous "marble skirting" done at the bottom with mainly white marble. The oldest written text that is available about this temple was written by Simon the Translator, the Magistrate and Chronicler of Emperor Leon VI the Philosopher, who had accompanied admiral Himerio on his campaign against the Saracens of Crete in the beginning of the tenth century. The Byzantine fleet, on its way to Crete passed through Paros. Simon visited our temple which was even then majestic inspite of the fact that the island was deserted and uninhabited because of the fear of pirates and he described it with lively colors. At one point, he mentions that he was very impressed by the marbles which had covered the walls of the temple and stressed that the craftsman had thinned the marble so much that it seemed that the walls were covered (dressed) with whitish linen material. "The dazzle of the marble" he said "created so many rays that it seemed to outshine a pearl. The marble was so prominent and particularly the dexterity of the craftsman that it emulated Nature, to give its best".
In the center of the temple exactly under the dome was the marble pulpit. During the restoration of the temple Professor Orlandos found many pieces of the pulpit and had intended to re-erect it to its original position. We hope that the Second Byzantine Archaeological Committee who has the supervision and the responsibility of the maintenance of the Ekatontapiliani will give us the happiness to admire this archaic pulpit restored and placed in its old position.
We are still in the center of the temple. On our right we see the tribune, wood-carved and gold-plated with a marvelous post-Byzantine icon of Archbishop Christ, circa 1759. Opposite the tribune is the latest pulpit of the temple, supported on two marble columns and done in the 17th century.