★★★★★ 5.0
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Holy Catholic Cathedral of Saint Denis the Areopagite
This Catholic cathedral is the MAIN one in all of Athens... but wait, isn't Greece supposed to be Orthodox? King Otto, a Bavarian king, built this neoclassical beauty in the 1850s right here on famous Panepistimiou Avenue using gorgeous Italian marble that sparkles like birthday cake frosting! Here's the coolest part - they hold masses in FOUR different languages every week, including Filipino, because this place brings together people from all over the world! And it's named after Saint Dionysius, who was Saint Paul's very first student in Athens almost 2,000 years ago!
Did You Know?
- The Holy Catholic Cathedral of Saint Denis the Areopagite in Athens was the site of a royal Catholic wedding: in 1962, Princess Sophia of Greece and Denmark (later Queen Sofia of Spain) married Infante Juan Carlos of Spain here, before their Orthodox ceremony, making it a rare example of a Catholic royal wedding in a predominantly Orthodox country.
- Inside the cathedral, you’ll find a stunning fresco by Italian artist Guglielmo Bilancioni depicting the 'Apotheosis of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite' above the triumphal arch, while the pillars supporting the arch feature life-sized statues of the four Evangelists—artistic details that blend Italian Renaissance influences with local Greek craftsmanship.
- Local legend says that near the site of the cathedral, there was once a well where St. Paul hid for 24 hours to escape persecution after preaching at the Court of the Areopagus—a story that adds a layer of ancient mystery and connection to early Christian history in Athens, even though the current cathedral dates only to the 19th century.