Dreams come alive in the Cyclades

The Byzantine Museum, which is currently open to visitors and houses a portion of the relics Ekatontapiliani, of course, has its own short history. The establishment of collection of images and relics in Ekatontapyliani started early enough, at the beginning of our century, at the initiative of Archimandrite and parson of Ekatontapiliani George Fil. Skaramanga (1867 - 1944). It included works that were originally from centuries in the same church and others gathered for the most part from churches Paroikias. Since then the collection continuously benefit from either donations or by meditation and other images.

The first collection was originally housed in cells ground floor of the north wing Ekatontapiliani, known as "Byzantine Museum of Paros", organized around 1931 or pariani archaeologist Irene Varoucha Christodoulopoyloy (1896 - 1979). With the death of the father but George Skaramanga, who since 1936 had been appointed temporary curator of antiquities, the museum closed. Later, on the archierateias Makaristou Metropolitan  Epifaniou, the collection was moved into three cells of the upper floor of the south wing of the complex of Ekatontapiliani, which had been specially diaskefastei to the house. Thus, the "Byzantine Museum of Paros" worked again, but for a short period of time in these places. After the death of Epifaniou The Metropolitan, the museum closed for a second time and works collected and stored in a cell.

Meanwhile, in 1967, several images from the collection had been conserved by the staff of the Central maintenance workshops and later, in 1980-81, had been conserved and other images by  the Antiquities Conservation Center of the Archaeological Service.

In April 1993, on the archierateias Venerable Metropolitan Mr Amvrosiou, was again able to exhibition part of the collection from 2 Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities, with kindness cooperation and support of the Executive Committee of the pilgrimage. At the same time began a gradual maintenance in the laboratory of the same Eforeias and other images.

The new report launched on 21 May 1996, during the celebration of 17 Centuries of Ekatontapiliani, and housed in three ground floor consolidated sites, a chapel and two rooms, on the southwest corner of the cell complex of Ekatontapiliani, where older operating systems of the Primary School Parikia. Included for the moment what projects were in a better state of conservation.

The first and larger room out mainly images, in the small chapel woodwork and a third room vestments, buckles, other church relics and woodcut epitaph of Ekatontapiliani. The two smaller rooms, in particular showcases, are few and Silverware. The remaining collection of relics kept in a cell of the complex. We hope that shortly after maintenance and other projects, could be a new modern and final exhibition of all images and relics.