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THE ALTAR
Inside the altar, which measures 10 x 12, meters, are the most precious monuments.
The "Ciborium" and the "Synthronon" whose
great importance is because of the extreme rarity of their existence in other
old Christian temples.
The Ciborium
The Ciborium is the marbled roof of the Lord’s Table. It is supported on
four columns from the classical era, with Corinthian style capitals, which are
a splendid work of art. These too were mentioned by Simon the Translator.
He wondered how the craftsmen managed to chisel this lacework on hard marble.
He wrote: "As soon as we saw the canopy on top of the Holy Table we were surprised
by its beauty because it didn’t seem to be carved of marble nor did it seem
chiseled by iron tools or by human hands, but it seemed to be molded, to be like
curdled milk".
Few ciboria’s have remained intact until today, one of which is the Ekatontapiliani,
the only one of its type throughout the Christian world.
The Synthronon
The Synthronon is a small amphitheater
in the far end corner of the altar. It contains 8 semi - circular homocentric
rows of seats and at the top is the tribune of the high priest, which is made
of marble with sculptured decoration on its side. There are also two marble tribunes
on the right and on the left, lower and simpler ones which are for the archbishop’s
assistants. During the first Christian centuries, the tribune used to be in the
Synthronon and not in the main temple because of the partition of the iconostassis
as in those days it allowed the congregation to easily follow everything that
was going on from the altar. We can imagine the majestic spectacle that was performed
in the synthronon of the Ekatontapiliani full of clergymen holding mass in Byzantine
times.
Except for these two precious monuments we can also see the following in the
altar:
— The ciborium of St. Prothesis which although is newer and smaller,
is not of big artistic value.
— The basin to the right of the Credence Table which is shaped like a
bowl and is supported on the ground with a white bollard shaped base. Engraved
writing shows the year it was built - 1636.
— The post - Byzantine frescoes of the 17th century are very good art
and decorate the inner walls which are on both sides of the altar and illustrates
the 24 "houses" from the Standing Hymn. Unfortunately there are chisel marks
which occurred during the covering of its plastering. They were discovered and
properly supported during the restoration of the temple.
At the bottom of the Lord’s Table, holy water still pours out, a phenomenon
which is connected to Osia Theoktisti,
a saint who lived in the temple and sanctified it, and about whom we shall refer
to later.
THE ICONOSTASSIS
As we are under the dome, we see the iconostassis in front of us i.e. the shrine
which separates the main temple from the altar. There are three big icons there
today. The first from the left is the wonderful modest Byzantine icon of "Madonna
of Ekatontapiliani" from the 17th century - the main worshipped icon
of the temple. Its art is unique, covered with a fabulous silver covering which
was done in Bucharest in 1788 and was dedicated by the "Sovereign of Moldovlachia" Nicholas
Mavroyenis the uncle of Manto Mavroyenis. The other two big icons
of "The Pantokrator" and "The
Assumption of the Virgin Mary" done in the 17th century were also contributed
by the same family.
The icons of the main gate of the
altar were done in 1759 while the Archangel on the northern gate of the altar
was done in 1666.Obviously, the iconostassis was not as it is today. There were
neither icons nor doors in the first centuries. It contained only the four columns
we see today, two dark green, one pinkish, one white and a straight-lined marble
epistle with a vineyard decorated on it. Later the three marble coverings were
added i.e. the three marble tiles that are between the four columns that we mentioned
before.