Church of Kyra Faneromeni - Virgin Mary of the Foreigners- (Panagia ton Ksenon)

The Church of the Holy Theotokos Faneromeni is located ον Iroon Square opposite St. Ioannis church. The church was built in 1869 with the assistance and donations of Epirotes and priest Nikodimos Kolitzas from Epirus. The land where the church was built was donated by Theodorela Vervitsioti who also comes from Epirus. The church was synodal and belonged to guilds of furriers and goldsmiths. It is a three-aisled basilica with a tiled roof. In 1832, the church’s height was raised, based on the plans drawn by the architect Ioannis Chronis. The church features an impressive wooden gilded iconostasis including interesting icons painted by George Samartzis (1893) and Dionysios Vegias (1877) which are typical examples of the Heptanese School. The icon of Panagia Faneromeni has been placed on the diaconicon. The "ourania" (illustrated roof) is a work of Nikolaos Koutouzis. In the church there are important icons, among them, St. Antonios of Emmanuel Tzane and the "Root of Jesse". On Holy Saturday, the first Resurrection of Christ and all relevant customs, such as the artificial earthquake, take place in the church. The Church of Theotokos Phaneromeni celebrates on the 15 August and a great number of believers visit it throughout the year. REFERENCES 1) Παπαγεωργίου Σ. Κ., Ιστορία της Εκκλησίας της Κέρκυρας από της Συστάσεως αυτής μέχρι του νυν, Κέρκυρα 1920. 2) Καρύδης Σ. Χ., Ορθόδοξες Αδελφότητες και Συναδελφικοί Ναοί στην Κέρκυρα (15ος – 19ος αι.), Αθήνα 2004. 3) Στούπης Σ., Οι «Ξένοι» εν Κερκύρα, Αθήνα 2003.