Museum of Ecclesiastical Art of Sparta

Laconia, known since ancient times for the renowned culture of Sparta, did not cease to be a powerful spiritual center and a magnet for thousands of visitors, both for its unsurpassed natural beauty and especially for the great spiritual vitality of the Despotate of Mystras during the Christian era. The ecclesiastical monuments of the wider region of Laconia are spiritual arenas, invaluable treasures, and undoubtedly cultural legacies. The local Church, with its famous Monasteries and its rich spiritual and cultural heritage throughout the centuries, stood as a bulwark and ark of Byzantine, Post-Byzantine, and Modern Greek art and tradition. The preserved treasures and precious relics are now brought to light by the Museum of Ecclesiastical Art of the Holy Metropolis of Monemvasia and Sparta.

BRIEF HISTORY

The exhibits of the Museum of Ecclesiastical Art come from across the Metropolitan region. Special care for the preservation and collection of manuscripts, portable icons, iconostases, and ecclesiastical vessels was shown by the blessed Metropolitans of Monemvasia and Sparta, Dionysios Daphnos (1936-1959), and Kyprianos Poulakos (1959-1970). After various relocations, the relics were stored in the Holy Monastery of the Forty Martyrs by the decision of the late Metropolitan Hierotheos (1971-1980). However, being located there made them easy prey for natural enemies like time, humidity, rodents, etc.

In this situation, under the risk of decay and oblivion, our Venerable Metropolitan, Mr. Efstathios, who was particularly sensitive to issues of cultural heritage, immediately took action for their preservation and further collection of artifacts. Following their necessary and scientifically sound conservation, the next step was their protection and promotion through the establishment, in 1991, of the Museum of Ecclesiastical Art, initially housed on the second floor of the new Bishopric.

Our venerable Shepherd, however, did not settle for this but envisioned the creation of a modern and functional space, accessible to the wider public, which would be a 'gem' of our Holy Metropolis, an 'estate' of the local community, and an interesting stop for devout visitors of the area. With this in mind, the construction of the new Museum began in 2014 under the supervision of the distinguished Museologist Mr. Ioannis Gkerekos, on the first floor of the adjacent building to the Bishopric, which houses the valuable Library of the Metropolis as well as the facilities of the local Church Radio Station.

MUSEUM EXHIBITS

In the Museum of Ecclesiastical Art, one can admire portable icons from various periods, trends, and techniques, rare manuscripts from Monasteries of the region, exceptional examples of goldsmithery, remarkable works of ecclesiastical silverware, intricate wood carvings, as well as a significant collection of liturgical items offered by our Venerable Metropolitan, Mr. Efstathios. The entirety of the exhibits reveals an incredible scene of Greek ecclesiastical history, illuminated from various angles, known or unknown, that still surprise even the experienced researcher or profound worshipper of the Highest.