Church of Saint Spiridon

The canton of “Agios” is located in the centre of the Old Town of the island and the visitor can easily locate it from its characteristic steeple-like red bell tower which is visible by its height from any part of the city.

“Oh, my Holy Spyridon…”… When walking in Corfu it is almost impossible to not hear a Corfiot shout this expression.

The church of Saint Spyridon is one of the most important Byzantine monuments of Corfu and its relic is one of the most important pilgrimages of Christians around the world. The canton of “Agios” is located in the centre of the Old Town of the island and the visitor can easily locate it from its characteristic steeple-like red bell tower which is visible by its height from any part of the city. It is 40 metres high, has seven bells and its big blue clock which symbolizes for the people of Corfu “the beats of the heart of the city”.

The church which houses the relic of Saint Spyridon and protector of the island was built in 1589 AD and belongs to the style of the single-aisled basilica. The tall and towering bell tower, as a complement to the temple, was built in 1620 AD. The current iconostasis of the church, made of marble of Paros, was built in 1864 AD. and is the work of the Austrian architect, Mauers. The sky is painted by the Corfiot painter Nikolaos Aspiotis in 1852 AD, while the icons of the iconostasis are made by the also Corfiot painter, Spyros Prosalandis. Today’s shrine was built in Vienna in 1867 AD. and is made of hard, luxurious wood with silver exterior cladding. It is located inside the crypt, which was created especially to receive the relic of Saint Spyridon, which is visited by thousands of foreign and local visitors.

It is one of the three incorruptible relics in the Ionian: of Saint Spyridon, Saint Gerasimos and Saint Dionysios. “From Saint Spyridon the day grows pimple-pimple” the old people used to say… ”

After the feast of Saint Nicholas, the feast of Saint Spyridon is celebrated on December 12, for whom Corfiots believe heals the pimples and banishes the plague. And yet, they believe that he is the helper of Ai-Nicholas on land and sea and he spoils his shoes by running here and there to help those in danger. Both of these Saints do not stop, our people say. ‘They are always somewhere and they help, they help those who are in danger in the open seas and are beaten in the sea urchins. ” (Vassilis Lamnatos, “The months in the rural and pastoral life of our people”)