Location information

Byzantine church of saints Jason and Sosipater

Tradition has it that saints Jason and Sosipater were disciples of the apostle Paul and propagated Christianity on the island. The church must have been built in the 11th century. It contains frescoes by the famous 16th century Cretan icon painter Emmanuel Janes.

Ionian Islands Region General Secretariat WebPage
• http://www.ionianislands.gr/english/corfu/zoom/Byz... (1 img.)

Church of Saints Jason and Sosipater

Tel: +30 26610 39760
   The church is of the simple cross-in-square type on two columns with a dome. The cloisonne wall masonry (stone blocks enclosed by bricks) is decorated with bricks and tiles set in various patterns. Stones taken from ancient structures were also used as building material in the walls.
   The church was built in ca. A.D. 1000 in the area of Anemomylos, by skilled builders coming from Attica or Boeotia. It was constructed on an older catholicon (main church) of a monastery and was originally dedicated to St. Andrew, and later, to Saints Jason and Sosipater. Of the original decoration of the walls only a few fragments of frescoes have survived, dated to the 11th - 13th centuries A.D. In the 17th century, the church was enriched with icons painted by the famous Cretan artist, Emmanuel Tzanes.
   In the years 1960, 1969, 1972, 1976, and 1978 the monument was restored, the wall paintings and portable icons were cleaned, and the surrounding area was remodelled.
   The church still functions today, although it does not belong to a parish.