I + 8 : Why are Greek Orthodox Churches so small?

Sunday, 27 July 2025. For today, we had an elaborate plan. By midday, the wind in the Gulf of Agios Nikolaos slows down. Towards the evening windspeed on the north coast of Crete drops even further to five knots. We thus decided to leave the Agios marina just before lunch time and spend the afternoon at Spinalonga which we already visited last Friday. The Elounda Bay is well protected from north-westerly winds and waves. Then, by late afternoon, we would sail the 4 - 5 hours to Heraklion – crossing fingers that the sea was calmer.

Without the help of MYRA's Tender we wold not have

been able to leave the Pier

Troubles with our plan started instantly. The north-westerly, blowing at times at 30 kn per hour, pushed the MYRA against the pier. Squeezed between two boats, we did not have enough room to wiggle out. After half an hour, we found the captain of one of the boats – he kindly moved his catamaran. We could leave. It took 45 min to get out of the marina.

MYRA safely anchored on the rocks near Spinalonga

Being on the way to Spinalonga, I wondered what I was going to cover in my blog today. As ever so often, the surrounding scenery triggered an epiphany. As we glided along Agios Nikolaos' shores, I spotted a small Greek Orthodox Church on top of a hill. There was my topic. Always wondered why there were so many Greek Orthodox Churches and why they were so small. The next few hours of sailing are the prefect opportunity to find answers.

The famous Panagia Kapnikarea in Athens' center dates from the 11th Century AD

There are a couple of reasons as to why there are so many and why they are much smaller than our churches in the rest of Europe:

• In ancient Greek mythology, there were 12 major and additional 20 minor Gods. Greek people built temples and shrines for all of them almost everywhere. The ancient Greek landscape was dotted with places to worship. When Christianity replaced the old believe, many of these “sacred" sites were simply converted. This way, locals could continue to visit their local deity, often re-interpretation in a Chrisrtian way .

This tiny Church on the Peloponnese was built from materials of an ancient Temple

• Christianity was an underground, grass-root movement - often prosecuted by Roman Emperors. Until Constantine the Great, who made it legal in 313 BC, there were no churches. All of a sudden, the demand for places to congregate exploded. The number of Christians was still small, probably 10 - 15% of Rome's total population (50 million). Christianity's early churches were thus small. A church with 100 places was big!

  
  

A small little, orthodox Church just north of Agios Nicholaos

• In the early Byzantine Empire, the monastic lifestyle was far mor common than today. There were multiple monasteries inside every town. Many decaying neighborhoods of old Roman towns were converted to “intra-muros” monasteries - all of them with their own little church. When these monasteries were abandoned later in history, their small churches survived and are still with us in the town centers.

Map of Thessaloniki - many Churches were once part

of a Monastery which was abandoned or converted

• The rise of Christianity conincides with the decline of the Roman Empire. There are writers who claim that the "Christian Softies" were the reason why the empire fell. But this speculative interpretation of history shall be the topic of another blog. Without any doubt though, there was less wealth in the late Roman Empire than during its peak. Public buildings thus became more modest, read smaller. Larger churches had to wait to the reign of Emperor Justinian who built the famous Hagia Sophia (532 - 537 AD).

  
  

  

A small Town Church squeezed between Houses

• Last but not least, building a church was a family tradition. The same tradition existed in the West like in Venice or Rome where there are many family sponsored churches. But in our countries the traditions faded. Churches became community buildings. Not so in Greece where many families continued to built their own churches – just for their own use. Of course they were much smaller.

  Albeit tiny, this is a fully working orthodox Church

As towns got bigger over the last 200 years, so did the church buildings in Greek towns. But there are still many small churches left. Seeing mass being clebrated with half the people attending outside is a frequent occurence. There is not enough space. But this is no reason not to celebrate. The weather is mostly good. People love their little neighborhood churches. No need to change.

  Our Plan worked. The Sea was calm. Windspeed at 3

Knots. We had dinner (Zucchini Noodle Salad and

Mushroom Risotto) on the way and arrived at 22.30 in

the busy Marina of Heraklion.