The Historical Review/La Revue Historique

Vol. 15, 2018

Review of: Ioannis P. Chouliaras (ed.), Ιερά Μονή Κοιμήσεως Θεοτόκου Γηρομερίου. Ιστορία-Τέχνη [The Holy Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin in Giromeri: History–Art]

Melvani Nicholas Institute of Historical Research / NHRF https://doi.org/10.12681/hr.20454

Copyright © 2019 Nicholas Melvani

To cite this article:

Melvani, N. (2019). Review of: Ioannis P. Chouliaras (ed.), Ιερά Μονή Κοιμήσεως Θεοτόκου Γηρομερίου. Ιστορία- Τέχνη [The Holy Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin in Giromeri: History–Art]. The Historical Review/La Revue Historique, 15, 310-314. doi:https://doi.org/10.12681/hr.20454

http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 29/09/2021 20:08:44 | Ioannis P. Chouliaras (ed.), Ιερά Μονή Κοιμήσεως Θεοτόκου Γηρομερίου. Ιστορία-Τέχνη/ The Holy Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin in Giromeri: History–Art, : Mygdonia Publications: 2016, 192 pages.

This collective volume brings together aspects of a single monastery, producing various texts dealing with multiple attractive illustrated volumes, accessible aspects of the Monastery of the both to the general public and the Dormition of the Virgin at Giromeri scholarly community. in the region, . The The Giromeri volume is a welcome monastery was founded in the early addition to the list: it includes seven fourteenth century by a hermit originally essays by seven distinguished scholars from Constantinople named Neilos and specialised in the Byzantine and flourished during late Byzantine and post-Byzantine history and art of Ottoman times. It has survived and Epirus, who have specifically worked is still functioning; therefore, it has a on the monastery and its resources, rich history of continuous presence accompanied by hundreds of excellent in the area, making it one of the most illustrations and detailed drawings. important religious foundations of Thus, the book covers 700 years of Epirus. The book in question approaches history based on textual (narrative the monastery from the point of view and archival) sources, material and of several disciplines. In fact, it follows visual evidence from the building the model set by similar publications complex, and artistic evidence from dealing with other historic monasteries its monumental decoration, icons and in modern , especially those of the other treasures preserved in it. Also monastic communities of Mount Athos important is the fact that this is a useful and Meteora.1 In this model, several bilingual publication, with the Greek experts in various fields contribute high- and English texts appearing side by side. quality texts on the history, art and other The book begins with a foreword and opening addresses by the editor, Ioannis P. Chouliaras, director of the 1 The best example is the monumental Ephorate of Antiquities of Thesprotia; Iaokeim Papangelos (ed.), Ιερά Μονή Titos, Metropolitan of Paramythia, Κοιμήσεως Θεοτόκου Γηρομερίου. Ιστορία- , Giromeri and Parga; and Τέχνη [Holy and Great Monastery of Methodios Delis, abbot of the monastery. Vatopedi: tradition, history, art], Mount Athos: Holy and Great Monastery of Naturally, the first essay, written by Vatopedi, 1996. Christos Stavrakos, is a general historical

The Historical Review / La Revue Historique Section de Recherches Néohelléniques / Institut de Recherches Historiques Volume XV (2018)

http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 29/09/2021 20:08:44 | Ioannis P. Chouliaras, Monastery in Giromeri 311 introduction, which offers a summary preserved in the monastery’s archives outline of the monastery’s course, starting with the appropriate evaluation of the with the foundation in the fourteenth relevant information contained in the century, based primarily on information documents. Even more interesting is the in the testament of the founder, Neilos fact that she adds information regarding (d. 1336). This introduction defines the Giromeri contained in the patriarchal appropriate historical context by focusing “Sacred Codex”, thus producing a global on Neilos’ activity and on his itineraries view of the monastery’s activity and in Greece and Albania before settling in status. The author rightly stresses the the Giromeri area. After analysing the importance of this archival evidence evidence on the Byzantine phase and for the study of the area’s history and the relationships between the monastic its contribution to our knowledge on community and the local elites, the the ecclesiastical history of Ottoman author adds rich data on the Ottoman Greece. The high-quality photos of some period, mainly the sixteenth century, by sample documents, including their seals, rightfully stressing the importance of certainly enhance the information in the the monastery’s Epirote patrons’ links chapter. with the principalities of Moldavia and The next text, written by Grigorios Wallachia. Stavrakos’ text also covers the Koutropoulos, is an analysis of the build- modern period up to the 1990s and the ing complex and its site, beginning with settlement of the community currently a description of the surviving buildings occupying the complex. (the sixteenth-century katholikon and The second essay, written by historian three structures forming the enclosure Youli Evangelou, is also of a historical from the north, west and south). Unfor- nature, this time focusing on primary tunately, very little is known about the material, namely on the documents and early phases of the monastic complex, archives of the monastery. Evangelou since no early remains have been iden- has personally studied these archives tified and there is no available archival and is a leading expert in the field of evidence on the subject. Thus, it is not monasticism and its relationships with possible to reconstruct the evolutionary the Patriarchate of Constantinople after stages of the monastery and match them Byzantium; in the case of Giromeri, this with events known from the sources. In is a crucial issue, since the monastery any case, it is clear that the sixteenth- often held dual status as a stavropegion century katholikon occupied the centre and an exarchate at the same time, which of a courtyard surrounded by the other means that it combined monastic and existing structures, which date from the administrative functions. Evangelou eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. offers enlightening information on As the author clearly demonstrates, the the nature of the available evidence, structural and formal characteristics are namely the numerous patriarchal in accordance with architecture in the letters from the sixteenth to twentieth region, especially in the area of the ur- centuries, followed by a detailed ban centre of . The chapter con- analysis of several types of documents cludes with the brief presentation of a fu-

http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 29/09/2021 20:08:44 | 312 Nicholas Melvani nerary chapel to the east of the monastic is ornamented unlike the otherwise enclosure, which housed the tomb of the unarticulated surfaces of the other sides, founder, Neilos, and a group of caves to which Mamaloukos suggests might the southwest of the monastery, which is point to a ceremonial significance. traditionally identified as the hermitage The section on architecture is of the saint. followed by two essays on the frescoes The following article also deals of the katholikon, both written by with the built environment, this time art historian Ioannis Tsiouris. The focusing on the main church. Written first one deals with the sixteenth- by Stavros Mamaloukos, the leading century phase (1577–1590) and offers expert in Byzantine architecture in a concise but detailed presentation Greece, it provides an in-depth analysis of all subjects depicted, supported by of its plan, building techniques and rich photographic documentation of façades. Fortunately, building phases each scene, as well as by informative can be distinguished in this case, offering drawings indicating the exact placement additional information on the history of each theme. The author convincingly of the monastery: the surviving church demonstrates the affinities between dates from the sixteenth century and this iconographic programme and can be connected with an inscription the standard programmes of other laid in brick in the south façade, sixteenth-century monuments, mainly dated 1567/68, and the patronage from Athos and Meteora. He also of the wealthy merchant Oxiotis. points out the peculiarities of the style, Contrary to older views, Mamaloukos characterised by a blend of elements establishes that the naos and the bema from the Cretan school and that of are contemporary and that both date northwestern Greece. from this phase; the narthexes are The second text dealing with the nineteenth-century additions. There frescoes focuses on the seventeenth- is no evidence that the late Byzantine century phase (1679), namely the lower katholikon was in the same location, registers of the naos. This includes a although Mamaloukos attributes some detailed description of the donor portrait plastered parts reused in the dome and its accompanying inscription, as to an earlier building. The author well as a general assessment of its place successfully contextualises the building within contemporary monumental within the wider framework of Ottoman painting, mainly within the context of architecture, explaining the peculiar the local tradition of Epirus. This phase roofing for the arms of the cross of this is an important chapter in the history unusual variation of the four-column of the monument and represents a church, by tracing its inspiration to the continuation of patronage by local sixteenth-century quatrefoil mosques of merchants with connections with the Istanbul, the best example cited being Danubian Principalities, since the the famous Şehzade. Also noteworthy is patron Panos Ieromnemon is a well- the emphasis on the south façade, which known personage from a prominent

http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 29/09/2021 20:08:44 | Ioannis P. Chouliaras, Monastery in Giromeri 313 family; unfortunately, this phase is followed by a three-page bibliography, not dealt with at all in the historical which includes titles in Greek and other introduction and is thus not properly languages regarding the monastery and contextualised.2 related topics. The final chapter of the book, written In short, the various chapters of the by Chouliaras and Athina Zogaki, deals book complement each other, combin- with treasures from the sacristy and ing to offer a rich and multi-layered library of the monastery. A fourteenth- account of the monastery’s history, fo- century icon of the Virgin Hodegetria cusing on its various phases based on is an important part of the monastery’s varied types of evidence, including hagi- heritage, since it may have been originally ographic sources, archival material, art commissioned by the founder, Neilos, and architecture, inscriptions, visual ev- for his hermitage in Iericho in northern idence, etc. Thanks to the high quality of Epirus and later brought to Giromeri the essays covering diverse subjects, the when the saint established his monastery volume succeeds in offering a compre- there. Other icons offer interesting data hensive, informative and complete ac- and permit the reconstruction of the count of the history and art of Giromeri. various phases of the sanctuary barrier, It would have been preferable to namely the sixteenth-century original support the texts with references in templon and a seventeenth-century footnotes; a minimum amount of foot- remodelling. A series of eighteenth- notes would have provided fuller docu- and nineteenth-century icons, textiles, mentation without compromising the vessels and minor objects (including a character of a book addressed to both few Byzantine and Ottoman coins and specialists and laypeople. Since the im- lead seals) complete the picture of the ages, especially older ones, are treated monastery’s various collections, as they as an important medium for studying were formed over time with various the monastery, it would have been ideal donations. The authors also include to include a chapter on historic photos, a list of some important manuscripts especially those taken and published by from the monastic library’s holdings; Spyros Meletzis, one of the most impor- the most interesting sample appears to tant photographers of twentieth-cen- be a fourteenth-century gospel book tury Greece, also known for his photos written on parchment. This chapter is of other Byzantine monuments, espe- cially Hosios Loukas.3 This would have provided further insight into the visual 2 On Panos Ieromnemon and his aspects discussed in the chapters deal- family, see Lidia Cotovanu, “Autour des attaches épirotes du futur prince de ing with the art and architecture of Gi- Moldavie Constantin Duca (XVIIe siècle)”, romeri. Studia Varia in Honorem Professoris Ştefan Ştefănescu Octogenarii, ed. Cristian Luca 3 See Theodoros Papadakis and Spyros and Stefan Stefănescu, Bucharest: Editura Meletzis, Hosios Lukas and its Byzantine Academiei Române, 2009, pp. 475–480. Mosaics, Munich: Schnell & Steiner, 1972.

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Studying Byzantine and post- by scholars studying similar monastic Byzantine monasteries from multiple foundations throughout the Balkans, points of view is an important tool for in order to place more monuments and enhancing our knowledge of the history institutions on the map of Byzantine of Byzantine and Ottoman institutions. and post-Byzantine monasticism. Volumes such as this one dealing with the monastery of Giromeri certainly Nicholas Melvani enrich the list of available books on the art and history of monasteries in Greece; Institute of Historical Research / NHRF hopefully this example will be followed

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