PANAGIA CHALKEON
The Panagia Chalkeon (Red Church) is a Byzantine church, built in the 11th century and it is located in the center of Thessaloniki. The Greek name of the church is translated as "The Virgin of the Copper-smiths", as in the area where the church is located, there are all the laboratories and shops of the copper-smiths of the city.
According to an inscription engraved in the marble of the west entrance of the church, there was an ancient Greek temple, at the place, where the church has been built. The tomb of the founder is on the north wall. According to another marble inscription, the frescos decorating the church were made, when the church was built. It is a cruciform with a dome church, having four columns, three domes and one of them is the central one.
During the Ottoman Period it was converted into a mosque (1430) with the name Kalantzilar mosque. After the liberation of Thessaloniki it became a Christian church again. For a period of time, the church served as a dependency of I. Vatopedi Monastery and then the I. Xeropotamou Monastery. That’s why , the church celebrates the feast of St. Zone (August 31) , the feast of Forty Martyrs of Sebastea (March 9), and of course in August 15th, the Assumption of Mary.
ΠΗΓΕΣ - SOURCES
http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/2/gh251.jsp?obj_id=6973
http://www.it.uom.gr/project/monuments/xalkeon.htm
https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%A0%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%B1%CE%B3%CE%AF%CE%B1_%CF%84%CF%89%CE%BD_%CE%A7%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%BA%CE%AD%CF%89%CE%BD
http://www.inthessaloniki.com/el/naos-panagias-chalkeon-thessalonikis
http://www.gamosportal.gr/thessaloniki/ekklisies/panagia-xalkevn