Parascheva of the Balkans

Saint Paraskeva of the Balkans was an ascetic female saint of the 10th century. She was born in the town of Epivates on the shore of the Sea of Marmara her parents were wealthy landowners. A church, dedicated to her, had been built in Selimpaa on the spot where her house of birth once stood. The oldest testimony regarding the church dates back to the year 1200. It was written by the Russian voyager Anthony, Bishop of Novgorod. In August 1817 the church was completely destroyed by a great fire, and it was rebuilt in 1820, with the financial support of the citizens of Constantinople and the Governor of MoldoWallahia, Prince Alexander Kallimachi. In 1885 the Community demolished the old church in order to construct a much bigger one on the same place. The building was completed afteryears, for which parts of the Byzantine tower of Duke Alexis Apokaukos were reused as building material. It was the biggest church of whole Eastern Thrace , a real jewel that in could be seen from kilome

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Source: Wikipedia