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Church · Patras, Grécia Ocidental
Agios Andreas
The large church of Santo André, on the seafront, inaugurated in 1974, housing the relics of the apostle who was martyred in Patras, and beside it the old 19th-century church.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Agios Andreas
Santo André, the first apostle called by Jesus, is the patron of Patras. According to tradition, he preached in the city and was crucified there on an X-shaped cross, which became known as Saint Andrew’s cross. The church dedicated to him, on the west side of the centre near the sea, is the city’s main pilgrimage site.
There are two churches side by side. The old, smaller one was designed in the 19th century by the architect Lysandros Kaftanzoglou, next to the spot identified as the place of martyrdom, where there is a well. The new one, in Byzantine style, began construction in 1908 and was not inaugurated until 1974. It is about 60 metres long, holds roughly 7,000 people, has a central dome with a golden cross and twelve smaller domes—one for each apostle. It is considered the largest Orthodox church in Greece. The interior is covered with Byzantine-style paintings and mosaics.
In the new church are the apostle’s relics, kept in a reliquary: part of the skull, which Pope Paulo VI ordered returned from Roma to Patras in 1964, and fragments of the cross, taken to France in the time of the Crusades and returned by the abbey of São Vítor, in Marselha, in 1980.
On the day of Santo André, 30 November, the city holds festivities and a procession.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
About 30 to 45 minutes for both churches.
Best time
In the morning, when light pours through the dome windows. During services, visits to the interior are restricted. On 30 November, the saint’s day, the church becomes very crowded.
How to get there
It's on the west side of the center, near the waterfront, about a 20-minute walk from praça Georgiou I and a few minutes by city bus or taxi.
Tip
Wear clothing that covers shoulders and knees, as in all Orthodox churches. Also see the old church and the well beside it, which lie off the main route taken by tour groups.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Agios Andreas
What is kept in the church of Saint Andrew in Patras?
Relics of the apostle: part of the skull, returned by Rome in 1964, and fragments of the X-shaped cross, returned by the abbey of São Vítor, of Marselha, in 1980.
When was the new church of Saint Andrew built?
Construction began in 1908 and the church was inaugurated in 1974.
When is Saint Andrew's Day in Patras?
On November 30, with a mass and a procession through the city.
Do you need appropriate clothing to enter?
Yes. As in any Orthodox church, wear clothing that covers shoulders and knees.