St. Demetrius and St. Gregory Palamas

Built in Byzantine style, the church of “St. Demetrius and St. Gregory Palamas” had its first service for Christmas 2002 (January 7, 2002), and was consecrated on November 11, 2003 (the feast day honouring St. Demetrius). The iconostasis was originally made of chestnut wood, but it was later replaced with a marble one. It depicts Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, St. Gregory Palamas and St. Demetrius. The saint St. Gregory Palamas is considered to be the protector of the Strumica Diocese and the monks. Today, the relics of both of the saints are kept in their respective churches in Salonica. The church consists of one dome structure, but Christ Pantocrator is yet to be depicted in it. The altar of the church displays the frescos of

Saint Achilles of Prespa, St.  Gregory the Theologian, St. Gregory Palamas, St. Basil the Great, St. John Chrysostom and St. Clement of Ohrid. In the left part of the church one can see the frescos of St. Methodius, St. Cyril, St. Alexander of Alexandria, Saint Spyridon, Saint Charalampus, Great-Martyr Kyriake and Great Martyr Catherine of Sinai. The frescos of Saint Clement, Saint Naum, Saint Anastasia the Roman, Saint Panteleimon, Saint Paraskevi, Saints Quiricus and Julietta, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Teofil of Strumica, St. Seraphim of Sarov and St. Silouan the Athonite are all in the right part of the church. The construction of the largest church in Macedonia, dedicated to the Assumption of the Holy Mother, is projected in the churchyard of St. Demetrius and St. Gregory Palamas.