ATHENS: Saint Paraskevi private church built in 1936 goes on sale

The church in the Greek capital was designed by the architect Emmanuel Boukis, completed in 1936 and painted by Dimitrios Pelekasis

Walking through the narrow streets of the central Athens neighbourhood of Psirri, crossing Agia Anargyro at its confluence with Agatharchou, there is the chapel of Agia Paraskevi, which, as evidenced by the images, has been closed!

The news of the sale has gone viral on TikTok and X (Twitter) as it is not common for churches to be sold.

What is the reality?

As mentioned by Mrs. Vassiliki Nikolakopoulou, president of the Cultural Association "Panathenaia", this chapel is a private church that belongs to one of the old Athenian families, the Boukis family.

The family's wish

"Angeliki Ioannidis and her husband Giorgos came every year to celebrate the feast of Saint Paraskevi. Then, they would open the church, and liturgy would take place. This church was designed by the architect Emmanuel Boukis, and as we know, it was a family treasure that Angeliki and Giorgos kept until two years ago. For the last two years, they have not come, and we know that Giorgos passed away, something that may have happened to Angeliki as well. Their children who live abroad have put for sale the plot of land with the chapel and a small house."

The sign placed on the wall of Saint Paraskevi lists the telephone numbers that interested buyers can call. The sign has aroused the interest of passers-by since it is not usual for a church to be put up for sale.

The telephone numbers correspond to numbers originating in Malta, where the family of Angeliki and George Ioannidis lives.

This particular church was designed by the architect Emmanuel Boukis; as we mentioned above, it was completed in 1936 and painted by Dimitrios Pelekasis.

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