ATHENS – The new Museum at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens officially opened on Sunday, January 19, in presence of His Excellency The President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Prokopios Pavlopoulos, and his Beatitude the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Hieronymus.

The inauguration of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens in 1862 marked a milestone in the history of the modern Greek state. Now, with the support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), a space within the Cathedral that was underutilized for many years has been transformed to exhibit to the public a wealth of important religious and historical relics. With the full support of the Archdiocese, and with the care and curation of Archpriest Father Thomas, a long-term partner of SNF, the people of Greece and visitors from all over the world will now have the opportunity to admire, up close, the Cathedral’s rare collection. That collection includes sacred icons, tablets, crosses, representations, vestments and embroidery, original manuscripts, and much more. The exhibition is organized in thematic sections, based on the type and functions of the artifacts.

In addition to providing access to the general public, the creation of the Museum also ensures the preservation and maintenance of the relics, so that the collection remains intact into the future.

Click here to read a brief greeting given by Ambassador Vassilis Kaskarelis on behalf of the SNF Board of Directors.