Painters from Greece create beauty in Clearwater church

CLEARWATER, Fla. — It’s been a lengthy road for the individuals at the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Clearwater.

Much of the church was destroyed by a fire in 2015 but fortunately, in 2019, they had been able to reopen their doorways but still experienced some operate to do to completely restore this dwelling of worship to its former glory. 

For Reverend James T. Paris, head priest for the church, it’s a blessing to be the leader of his congregation.

“It’s just stunning art and symbolism and inspiration to us,” Paris claimed.

As quickly as you move into the sanctuary of the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Clearwater, you truly feel like you have stepped into a truly holy area.

“If you search up,” Paris explained when he showed Bay News 9 the sanctuary, “you’ll see Christ in a circle and you’ll see 4 angels close to him, which suggests the ascension.”

But this creation took a ton of work and determination.

The church suffered significant damage from a fire practically 7 decades back and reopened just in advance of the pandemic.

Now that normalcy has primarily returned, some of the hard perform that is been remaining to do because the hearth is currently being performed appropriate now.

“[I] appreciate what [I’m] performing,” Achilles Tourlas, a painter from Greece, stated by an interpreter.

Tourlas expended many years refining his craft in iconography. He’s been accomplishing it due to the fact the 90s and went to college in Athens for it.

“He enjoys the artwork of iconography,” the interpreter stated.

So considerably so that he has put in the very last couple weeks here in Clearwater, putting some of the finishing touches on the current artwork to total these incredible parts bordering the new and enhanced sanctuary.

“He functions 10 and 12 and 14 hrs and the upcoming day he commences all above with the similar pathos,” Tourlas explained by way of the interpreter.

Which is very evident when you step into the sanctuary.

The do the job is a reflection of a byzantine design and style of artwork that goes back again over a thousand yrs.

“These guys perform tirelessly but they never get weary,” Paris explained.

The element is outstanding, just about every stroke of the brush done with treatment.

But Paris suggests they do this with a clear head on who it is for, saying that Achilles and the other painters from Greece pray before commencing each working day.

“When they paint these icons,” Paris said, “they’re accomplishing it with enjoy in their heart, with really like for Christ, God and the saints.” 

Which he’s grateful to see arrive alongside one another this holiday period.

“It helps make us stronger and nearer together to one another in Christ,” Paris explained.

Strength through art, to aid temperature any disaster and create one thing out of the ashes that is genuinely amazing to see.