DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.24719#0154
12 i
THESSALONICA.
divine Saviour,”1 and a little further on the same author speaks of the silver gates of the
ciborium. Mention is also made of the silver litter upon which the body of the saint reposes.
The accompanying restoration is made from the above description, which is sufficiently
precise.
THE SILVER CIBORIUM IN THE CHURCH OF ST. DEMETRIUS.
The ciborium of St. Demetrius was about twelve feet in height, and was placed in the
square atrium to the left of the choir.
As the description of the shrine given by the Byzantine author is so exact, it was an
easy matter to restore the elevation of this monument, valuable as a specimen of silversmith’s
work of the 5th century, and one that has served as a model for many shrines of saints in
churches both in the East and West. It was destroyed by fire on the night of October 26,
during the feast of St. Demetrius. Erom this fact we may infer its construction. It must
evidently have been formed of plates of silver repoussee, attached to a wooden frame. It is
probable that, according to the custom of the time, the openings were closed by curtains, and
that there were other hangings around the ciborium, which on feast days would be lighted by
hundreds of candles. Thus the hangings might easily have caught fire first, and afterwards
the wooden structure of the shrine. 1
1 To teporrkevov tKelvo mi 7repiKaXXeg Sripioopyppa, Kara petrov 7roSoc anoXiyyovaav auvZemv, <r<pa~ipdv re dpyvpeav peyeOovg ov
rov vaov Trpog rolg \aio~tg %Xevpoig i<j)iSpv/j.£vov i^aydivu) ayi/pan, piKpov tytpovtrav avwdev, vif)' fjy dig Kpivov (iXanrol Qavpdmoi Tree'.-
Kioaiv t'£ mi roixoig laapidpoig e'i apyvpov doidpov mi diayeyXvp- eyovraC 5>v rrdvriov iiravio ... o £louiroiog <jt>r/pi Kal Tiptoe rov
jJLEVOV f.l£J10p(f)(jJflEJ'0y KflL TYjV 6pO(b)]V Gl)(TCIVTO)Q C17TO TYOV t^CLyWVLOV 0£OV KCLL (JMTYjpOQ TjfX(x)V (TTCIVpOQ• -Tctfclj TJlQSSojlOfllCCl^ pp. 11 /~18.
7-Xevpibv KvicXotyopiKiog aricryovvav, Kal tiQ fuctv (TTpoyyvXrjy ojq etc
THESSALONICA.
divine Saviour,”1 and a little further on the same author speaks of the silver gates of the
ciborium. Mention is also made of the silver litter upon which the body of the saint reposes.
The accompanying restoration is made from the above description, which is sufficiently
precise.
THE SILVER CIBORIUM IN THE CHURCH OF ST. DEMETRIUS.
The ciborium of St. Demetrius was about twelve feet in height, and was placed in the
square atrium to the left of the choir.
As the description of the shrine given by the Byzantine author is so exact, it was an
easy matter to restore the elevation of this monument, valuable as a specimen of silversmith’s
work of the 5th century, and one that has served as a model for many shrines of saints in
churches both in the East and West. It was destroyed by fire on the night of October 26,
during the feast of St. Demetrius. Erom this fact we may infer its construction. It must
evidently have been formed of plates of silver repoussee, attached to a wooden frame. It is
probable that, according to the custom of the time, the openings were closed by curtains, and
that there were other hangings around the ciborium, which on feast days would be lighted by
hundreds of candles. Thus the hangings might easily have caught fire first, and afterwards
the wooden structure of the shrine. 1
1 To teporrkevov tKelvo mi 7repiKaXXeg Sripioopyppa, Kara petrov 7roSoc anoXiyyovaav auvZemv, <r<pa~ipdv re dpyvpeav peyeOovg ov
rov vaov Trpog rolg \aio~tg %Xevpoig i<j)iSpv/j.£vov i^aydivu) ayi/pan, piKpov tytpovtrav avwdev, vif)' fjy dig Kpivov (iXanrol Qavpdmoi Tree'.-
Kioaiv t'£ mi roixoig laapidpoig e'i apyvpov doidpov mi diayeyXvp- eyovraC 5>v rrdvriov iiravio ... o £louiroiog <jt>r/pi Kal Tiptoe rov
jJLEVOV f.l£J10p(f)(jJflEJ'0y KflL TYjV 6pO(b)]V Gl)(TCIVTO)Q C17TO TYOV t^CLyWVLOV 0£OV KCLL (JMTYjpOQ TjfX(x)V (TTCIVpOQ• -Tctfclj TJlQSSojlOfllCCl^ pp. 11 /~18.
7-Xevpibv KvicXotyopiKiog aricryovvav, Kal tiQ fuctv (TTpoyyvXrjy ojq etc