The Institute for Pastoral Education of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens, realizing the vision of His Eminence the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Mr. Ieronymos II, within the framework of the project "Development of Three-Dimensional Productions for the Holy Monastery of Agios Loukas in Boeotia" under the action "Digitization of Sacred Relics of Parish Churches," with the contracting authority being The Institute for Pastoral Education of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens and the project contractor being Foundation of the Hellenic World, presents a virtual reality production for the Holy Monastery of Agios Loukas in Boeotia.
A virtual reality production for the "Tholos," the virtual reality theater of the "Hellenic Cosmos" Cultural Centre, which takes us on a journey through space and time to meet Agios Loukas of Stiri, a great healing saint of the Orthodox Church, and founder of the homonymous monastery in Stiri, Boeotia.
The royal monastery of Agios Loukas of Stiri in Boeotia is an unparalleled monument of our Byzantine civilization, with utmost religious, historical, and archaeological significance, serving as a reference point in global Christian art, and is under the protection of UNESCO.
The primary goal of the production is the digital representation of the architectural evolution of the Holy Monastery of Agios Loukas and the narration of its history, from its first monastic community to the present day. Thus, the project aims not only to represent a glorious moment of the monument but also to provide a documented representation of its development, and by extension, of the religious, historical, social, and cultural context in which it was created and has been a timeless symbol. The digital representation is based on elements of scientific research, depicted dynamically, clearly, and documentedly to serve multiple purposes, such as research, educational, and entertainment.
Following the characters, two virtual figures, a monk and a guide, viewers will learn about the significant milestones in the life of Saint Luke through the narration of his biography, simultaneously visualized for the first time with contemporary Byzantine illustrations by the iconographer Yiannoulis Lymperopoulos.
The journey begins with the repose of the Saint in 953, where, around the sacred tomb, a popular pilgrimage site in central Greece, a source of myrrh and healing, the unique architectural trilogy of the historic Monastery was formed.
We will explore the three churches of the monastery. The Church of Panagia, which Saint Luke built during his lifetime, the Catholicon where his sacred Relic was housed, and beneath it, the Church of Agia Barbara - Crypt, where his holy tomb is located.
During our tour, we will study the original architectural structures of the buildings, admire their interior decoration, the beautiful marble floors, the wall paintings, the marble carvings, and the exquisite mosaics of high Byzantine aesthetics, accompanied by brief historical, archaeological, and theological commentary.
At the same time, we will explore significant historical moments associated with the Holy Monastery from its early years to the Ottoman rule and the Revolution, as well as modern times.
We will conclude our journey in the present day by tracing the path of the relics of the Saint, which returned to the Monastery in 1986 after centuries, following efforts by the current Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Mr. Ieronymos II.
