Church of the Annunciation of Rhodes
The Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary stands on Eleftherias Square (Freedom Square) in Rhodes Town, at the entrance to Mandraki Harbour. It is a large building of light grey stone with a tall bell tower facing the bay and elegant arched windows. If you stand facing the sea, the church is on the left side of the entrance to the Old Town - it dominates the entire surrounding area.
In front of the main entrance there is a small fountain, which adds freshness to the place and enlivens the square. The church`s architecture is unusual for Greece: instead of familiar Byzantine forms, one feels Italian influence — strict lines, symmetry, Neo-Gothic elements. The building looks more like a Catholic church than an Orthodox one. But inside it is still Greek: frescoes, icons, the scent of incense, and the soft light filtering through the tall windows.
Today, this is the main Orthodox cathedral of Rhodes, the cathedral church of the metropolis. But it was not built by Greeks nor for Orthodox worship.
How the church became a cathedral
The church building was erected in 1924–1929, when Rhodes, together with all the islands of the Dodecanese, was under Italian rule. The Italians built it as a Catholic church and dedicated it to Saint John — in honor of John the Baptist, the patron saint of the Knights Hospitaller. For the Italians, this was a political gesture: they wanted to remind the local inhabitants of the island`s knightly past and emphasize the connection with the West.
In 1948, when the Dodecanese was reunified with Greece, the church was handed over to the Orthodox community. It was reconsecrated — now in honor of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. Since then, it has been the main church of Rhodes, where the most important services take place, including Easter and Christmas liturgies.
Architecture of the Church of the Annunciation in Rhodes
The architect was the Italian Florestano Di Fausto. He designed the building in the Neo-Gothic style, taking as his model the medieval Church of St. John, which stood in the Old Town and was destroyed in 1856. Therefore, the new church resembles more a European cathedral than a Greek temple: tall pointed arches, narrow elongated rose windows, a single bell tower clearly visible from the port side.
In front of the church, right on the square, there is a fountain. It is not ancient, but it fits well into space: the water freshens the air, and tourists like to stop around it, making the fountain a natural landmark.
The interior, however, was handled by Greek masters. In the 1950s and 1960s, the church was decorated by the renowned Greek painter Photis Kontoglou. He worked in the Neo-Byzantine style: austere, slightly angular figures of saints, rich dark colors, golden backgrounds. His frescoes cover the walls and the apse. They look ancient, even though they are just over half a century old. Kontoglou consciously imitated the manner of medieval masters, and he succeeded — the frescoes organically combine with Western architecture, creating a unique interior for Greece.
What can be seen inside the Church of the Annunciation in Rhodes
Inside, the church is spacious, with high ceilings and good acoustics. The main things to pay attention to:
• The frescoes by Photis Kontoglou - they cover almost all the walls. Particularly fine are the depictions of the Virgin Mary in the apse and Christ Pantocrator in the dome.
• The iconostasis - carved, wooden, with gilding. The icons are painted in the Byzantine style, many are contemporary, but there are also older ones brought from other churches.
• The mosaic floor - it has not survived, replaced by stone slabs, but fragments of the original flooring can be seen in the altar area.
• The choir loft - a wooden balcony on the second floor offering a view of the entire church.
The church also houses several old icons saved from destroyed churches of Rhodes, and the carved metropolitan`s chair.
Services are held regularly: the morning liturgy is usually at 7:00–8:30 AM, the evening service around 6:00 PM. On Sunday mornings, the church is full of parishioners, and this is a good way to see how the Orthodox community of Rhodes lives.
The Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary is an interesting example of how Western architecture adapted to Orthodox worship. Built by the Italians as a Catholic church, after the reunification of the Dodecanese with Greece it became the island`s main cathedral. Its Neo-Gothic appearance, single bell tower facing the port, frescoes by Photis Kontoglou, and fountain in front of the facade make it a notable part of Eleftherias Square. It is worth including in your route if you are walking between the Old Town and Mandraki Harbour — a visit will not take much time but will give you a reason to linger on this beautiful square.
