Religious

The old church of Archangel Michael

On the foothill of the mountain that exists on the north of the village, the old church is built and it is dedicated to Archangel Michael .It was built in the 17 century and it is a building of Byzantine style. It is a small church and it has not got the availability to contain more than 50 -100 people. From evidence, at the temple, the church had been re-built in 1867.
It was extended on the west of the building so it could be the parish church of the area, having rectangular construction type. Externally it is built with stone, mountain stone .During the extension and renovation that took place in the 1867, the temple with unique carving of its type and with the expenses of the residents it was gilded. With great devoutness and eagerness in their poverty, the residents donated money and guilded the temple of their church. The icons were re-painted.But today this phenomenon does not exist. 50 years ago they tried to maintain this guild by spraining the temple with goldpaint.The originality of the phenomenon was misquoted.

An old ancient hagiography that is still an important ecclesiastical element in the space of the church, it is dedicated to Archangel Michael, which is also situated in the iconostasis of the church.

In 1994 – 1995 with church expenses the church was preserved again. The church of Archangel Michael functions many time every year .Even though they have recently built a newer church, the residents haven’t deserted it.

The newer church of Archangel Michael was built during the decade of 1980.The construction began in 1984and the works have been completed in 1986.The newer central church is built at the centre of the village. Architectonically it is a building of cruciform Royal type with dome. Externally it is built by mold cement and covered with old stones (pouropetra).Internally the iconostasis is made from curving oak wood, of modern construction, and the Holy icons that hug it; there are all of new type constructions. The loft is comfortable with semi circle pattern and amphitheatrical type situated seats.

Archangel Michael is celebrated on the 6th September and 8th November. It is celebrated with festivities and a lot of people gather and there is a litany of the icon.

The Country church of Prophet Elias

A small ancient country church which is built on the mountain summit on the west of the village .This church is dedicated to Prophet Elias and it was built 500 years ago.It is a building of the 16th century. In the 20th century the church was built for a second time. The new building is 1 ½ meter higher than the old one. The old building remained as the sanctuary of the whole building. Architectonically it is a building of the Byzantine monoklyte type. It is not a big church but it can contain up to 60 people in it. Externally it is built by stone .By the side there is the old belfry, which invites the faithful people to come in every celebration .In the old building there were wall paints .A hundred years ago there was a fire and the wall paintings were misquoted. They are not so clear today.Internally the iconostasis is manufactured from pine tree wood, simple and painted with dark varnish. The few icons of the saints and the dedicated icon of the Prophet Elias hug and give one more supplement to the completion of the ecclesiastical wealth.

The church was re-preserved in 1994 with the church’s expenses. Today it is a well preserved building. It functions 3-4 times a year.Prophet Elias is celebrated in Oroklini.A lot of people from the nearby area go there and there is a big festival.

Country church of Saint Thomas

It used to be a monastery. From evidence it is said that this church was built in the 10th century.

It was a great godliness to stay around a church and a monastery ,they used to say.So it was done .All the residents went ,slowly, to live around the monastery of Saint Thomas in order to experience the solitary life more closely. The monastery, in a very short time was transformed into a village. In 1850 though, there was a big earthquake, from which great disasters were caused. So the church and the village were deserted. There were only ruins. This place today has been made archaeological. No new building was allowed to be built.

Since 1997 the efforts started for the designing and the erection of a new building .In 2001 on the 6th October the first foundation stone ,of the new building ,unique kind for today’s data. Having a basis of Classic type in architectural design of the 16th century, they took the decision for the erection of the new church, a few meters further down from the ruins of the older church. The whole construction is made of stone. It is a huge church 12 meters high 6 meters width and 13 meters long. The dome has a diameter of 4 ½ meters. So in October of 2003 intensive construction works began. It is expected that in a year the works will have been completed. The Community of Oroklinis celebrates Saint Thomas on the 6th October and the first Sunday after Easter.