Church of Saint Catherine, Thessaloniki

The Church of Saint Catherine (Greek: Αγία Αικατερίνη) is a late Byzantine-era Greek Orthodox church in the northwestern corner of the Ano Poli, Thessaloniki, in the Central Macedonia region of Greece. In 1988, it was one of fifteen structures inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as the Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki.[1]

Church of Saint Catherine
Αγία Αικατερίνη
Exterior of the church in 2019
Church of Saint Catherine is located in Greece
Church of Saint Catherine
Church of Saint Catherine
Location of the church in Greece
Map
Church of Saint Catherine
40°38′36″N 22°56′40″E / 40.64333°N 22.94444°E / 40.64333; 22.94444
LocationThessaloniki, Central Macedonia
CountryGreece
LanguageGreek
DenominationGreek Orthodox
Previous denomination
Islam (c.16th century–1921)
History
Former names
  • Monastery of the Almighty
  • Yakup Pasha Mosque
Status
DedicationThe great martyr Saint Catherine of Alexandria
Architecture
Functional status
Active
Architectural type
Monastery
StyleByzantine
Completed14th century
Administration
MetropolisThessaloniki
Clergy
PriestFr. Eythimios Mertzanis
A fresco inside the church
Part ofPaleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki
CriteriaCultural: (i), (ii), (iv)
Reference456-011
Inscription1988 (12th Session)
Area0.083 ha (0.21 acres)

History

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The church dates to the Palaiologan period, but its exact dating and original dedication are unknown. From its interior decoration, which survives in fragments and is dated to c.1315, it has been suggested that it was the katholikon of the Monastery of the Almighty. It was converted to a mosque by Yakup Pasha in the reign of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid II (r. 1481–1512) and named after him Yakup Pasha Mosque (Turkish: Yakup Paşa Camii).[2]

See also

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References

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  1. Kourkoutidou-Nikolaidou, E.; Tourta, A. (1997). Wandering in Byzantine Thessaloniki. Kapon Editions. pp. 116–120. ISBN 960-7254-47-3.
  2. Hendrix, David (2016). "Church of St. Catherine (Thessaloniki)" (includes text and historical images). The Byzantine Legacy. Retrieved December 22, 2025.
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