Corfu Church - Metropolitan Church- Panaghia “Spiliotissa” & Agios Vlassios
The triple-aisled basilica of St Theodora was built in 1577 at the expense of local nobles and other wealthy citizens, and was dedicated as the Metropolitan Church in 1841.
The Byzantine Empress St Theodora was responsible for the restoration of icons and the return of internal peace in Byzantium following the long and turbulent period of struggles over the use of icons (known as the Iconomachy). Her Holy Relic reposes in a silver reliquary. Decorative art includes icons and frescoes by distinguished artists.
Precious icons decorate the interior, e.g. Aghios Georgios by Ioannis Damaskinos (16th c.), the martyr Gavdelas by Emmanuel Tzane Bountalis (17th c.), as well as the oldest and most important double face icon of Panaghia Dimosiana and the icon of Aghios Arsenios. Interior and exterior interventions in 1913.