Patapios monk of Kafsokalivia, Relations between Moschopolis and Mount Athos. The cases of neomartyr Nikodemos and works of painters Konstantine and Athanasios from Koritsa and David from Selenitza
Summary
This paper refers to the relations between Moschopolis and Mt. Athos spe cifically during the 16th century. The passing through this period, which is known as the golden century of Moschopolis, is done via a discussion of fol lowing two subjects:
a) The biography of neomartyr Nicodemos, a saint who links closely Mt. Athos with Moschopolis and its greater area, since not only the first biogra phy of the saint was written by a writer from Moschopolis, hieromonk Nek tarios Terpos ( Ή Πίστις, Venice 1732), but also the first servise, in honour of the same saint, was composed by another writer from Moschopolis, hiero monk Gregory Konstantinidis (Moschopolis 1742).
St. Nicodemos, a native of Bithkouki or Elbasan of Northern Epirous, exercised as monk in Mt. Athos and suffered martyrdom in Belegrada (pres ently Berat) at 10 or 11 July of 1709, 1712 or 1722. Through the analysis of ten hagiological and hymnological papers of the 18-19th century -mostly un published- which refer to neomartyr Nicodemos, the problems relevant to the saint biography are discussed, since the biography are discussed, since the biographer sources contain several discrepancies which refer to the place of birth, the reasons that made him change his beliefs as well the time of his martyrdom.
b) The paintwork of Konstantine and Athanasios brothers from Koritsa as well as of David from Selenitza, which represent two typical labs of the postbyzantine painting of the 18th century. These labs, although character ized by different artistic trends, are related by their work in Mt. Athos and Moschopolis, where the activity of the labs was very creative. Ιη this paper a sufficient reference is being made.
Also in this paper, a first presentation of twelve unknown portable icons of Konstantine from Koritsa is being made. These icons are located in Mt. Athos (Cell of St. Eustathios at Kafsokalivia, Chilandarian Cell of St. George in Karyes) and in the island Kyra-Panagia in Northern Sporades, Greece.
