The Late Byzantine church at Therma
On the north side of Samothrace near Therma or Loutra, a small church is preserved with obvious signs of time. It is dated back to the late Byzantine period (1261-1453) and more specifically to the middle of the 14th century. This temple was once the katholikon, the major church building (temple) of the monastery of the Transfiguration or Monastery of Christ as it is widely known. The monastery was part of the Iveron Monastery of Mount Athos since 1771. The complex was destroyed during the revolution of 1821. The monastery complex covered an area of 660 sq.m. (22x30m).
Today, apart from the temple, the ruins of the warehouses, the kitchen and the cells of the monks can be seen in the northeast corner of the monastery's precinct. In various parts of the monastery and in the masonry of the church there are architectural members, in second use, coming from the ruins of buildings from Palaiopolis of Samothrace. The church was initially one-room but later, at the end of the 14th century, the narthex was built on the west side with a deviation from the longitudinal axis of the church due to the incline of the ground. The temple was covered with an arch which was protected on the exterior by a tiled roof. The roof of the temple is not preserved today but during the recent restoration work of the monument a canopy was placed. In the summer of 2020, the inauguration of the church took place and since then the church will be open on specific days. On the 12th of July, feast day of Saint Gerontas Paisios of Mount Athos, the 24th of July, feast day of Saint Christina, the 7th of August, the day after the feast of the Transfiguration of the Savior and the 31st of August, the deposition of the Holy Belt of the Virgin.
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