Church of Timios Stavros, Doliana, Eastern Orthodox church in Doliana, Greece.
The Church of Timios Stavros in Doliana is an Orthodox house of worship topped by thirteen domes, including a distinctive double-tiered central dome. Stone walls define the structure, with cross-shaped windows fitted with iron grilles.
The church was built around 1770 and renovated about fifty years later due to wear. In 1943 a fire set by the German army cost it its central dome and part of the narthex, but the masonry held and the building was not demolished. Repairs followed in 1956 with help from the Trikala prefecture's technical service and the archaeological service; in 1980 a fundraising committee among Krania residents collected 1,600,000 drachmas for further restoration, and two domes were rebuilt in 1987.
The monastery celebrates the Exaltation of the Cross on 14 September and the Dormition of the Virgin on 15 August, when Krania fills with visitors; the feast of the Holy Zone is kept on 31 August. The church is dedicated to the True Cross, and the wider Doliana monastery also included dedications to Saint Nicholas and the Holy Zone.
The church stands at about 1140 metres on the western slopes of Trigia in the Pindus, between Doliana and Krania in the Trikala region. It is reached from the villages by mountain road, and the surrounding slopes are high and exposed. The feast of the Exaltation of the Cross is held on 14 September, and 15 August draws the largest crowds to Krania.
The church has no frescoes at all; instead its walls carry stone reliefs of double-headed eagles with angelic heads, crosses, the Crucifixion, and on the south side Saint George spearing the dragon, Constantine and Helen holding the Cross, and Saint Demetrios striking the Bulgarian Skylogiannis. The 12 or 13 domes are said to match the apostles, with Matthias replacing Judas.
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