Saint George church of Zaholi

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The church of Saint George, in the village of Zaholi, is one of the most significant churches of the prefecture of Corinth not only for its architecture but also for its history. It has a very rare and impressive construction. It has 17 cupolas. According to the legend, the church dates back to 1811 and it was built in 39 days thanks to the efforts of the villagers. The Turkish commander had given a forty days deadline for its construction. If the church had not been constructed within forty days it would be destroyed or it would turn to a mosque. The church was a dependency of the holy monastery of Prophet Elias and it was built over the ruins of an older church. Among its liturgical vessels there are inscriptions that date back to 1893.

It is a byzantine basilica with 17 cupolas, six in each side of the church representing the 12 Apostles, four larger cupolas in every corner representing the four Evangelists and a central, the largest one that symbolizes the almighty God.

The roof was supported by 36 columns with byzantine capitals, while the altarscreen was made of one legendary cypress. Scenes of the Old Testament were carved on to it as well as the scene of the cypress cutting. The same tree has been used for the construction of the church.

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The church is divided in three aisles by two rows of columns each one with seven built coatings. The columns do not have a base. It had a clay tile gabled roof that covered all the aisles.

The church contains three altars; the left altar is dedicated to Saints Constantinos and Helen, the middle to Saint George and the right one to Saint Demetrios.

The church, which was recently listed as a landmark, has been built over the ruins of an older temple. It is known to the Greek people because there the chieftain Theodoros kolokotronis presided in revolutionary meetings. At the churches precinct lays the grave and the bust of chieftain Panagiotakis Geraris, local hero of the Greek War of Independence.