Greek community in Venice

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The Scuola dei Greci was the cultural and religious center of the Greek community in Venice. Chiesa di S.Giorgio dei Greci.jpg
The Scuola dei Greci was the cultural and religious center of the Greek community in Venice.

The Greek community in Venice dates back to the Middle Ages, when the Republic of Venice was still formally part of the Byzantine Empire. Settled mostly in the sestiere of Castello, it reached its height in the centuries after the Fall of Constantinople, when many Greeks, including merchants, soldiers, and scholars, fled the Ottoman conquest. Tied to the Greek world through its extensive overseas possessions, the city became a major center for Greek education and the Modern Greek Enlightenment, but declined after the Fall of the Venetian Republic and the establishment of the modern Greek state. The community's property is now largely owned and managed by the Hellenic Institute of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies in Venice.

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Because of the long-standing relationship with Constantinople, there is also a noticeable Orthodox presence in the city. Since 1991, the Church of San Giorgio dei Greci in Venice has become the see of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Italy and Malta and Exarchate of Southern Europe, a Byzantine-rite diocese under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. [2]

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Santi Pietro e Paolo dei Greci

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Giovanni Kyprios, also known as Zuane Ciprioto and Ioannis Kyprios. He was a Greek painter from Cyprus living in Venice. Other Greek painters living in Venice around the same period were Thomas Bathas and Emmanuel Tzanfournaris. Kyprios was active during the second part of the 16th century. He was associated with famous painter Tintoretto. Kyprios painted in the traditional Byzantine style. He mixed the traditional Byzantine style with Venetian painting. His work was also influenced by the Cretan artists namely Michael Damaskinos. According to the Institute of Neohellenic Research, eight paintings are attributed to Kyprios. His most notable work is the Dome at San Giorgio dei Greci.

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<i>The Crucifixion</i> (Moskos) Painting by Ioannis Moskos

The Crucifixion is an egg tempera painting created by Ioannis Moskos. Moskos was a Greek painter originally from Crete. He migrated to Venice. Two other painters named Moskos were active during the same period. Their names were Elias Moskos and Leos Moskos. Leos and Ioannis were both in Venice during the same period. Ioannis was a member of the Late Cretan School. He was active from 1650 to 1721. Forty-four of his paintings survived.

<i>The Crucifixion</i> (Margkazinis) Painting by Georgios Markazinis

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Marinos Tzanes (Greek: Μαρίνος Τζάνες,, also known as Marinos Tzanes Bounialis was a Greek painter and poet. His brother was one of the most prolific painters of the 17th century. Emmanuel Tzanes has one of the largest existing catalogs of Greek-style paintings. His other brother Konstantinos Tzanes also has existing works. All three brothers were affiliated with San Giorgio dei Greci. Regrettably, none of Marino's signed works have survived. The family settled in Venice after 1650. He was a prominent member of the Greek community in Venice. In 1681, he printed a very important book. He recorded a historical account of the Cretan War and accompanied the biography with short poems. The book is called The Cretan War Ο Κρητικός Πόλεμος. The book is over six hundred pages.

References

  1. Geanakoplos D. (1966) Two Worlds of Christendom in Middle Ages and Renaissance, in Byzantine East & West. The Academy LiLibrary Harper & Row Publishers, New York.
  2. "Italian Orthodox Bishops concelebrating in Venice". Archived from the original on 15 December 2008. Retrieved 24 April 2018.

Bibliography