Malbis Memorial Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Malbis Memorial Church |
|
|---|---|
| Sacred Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monastery of the Presentation of Theotokos | |
 |
|
| 30°39′7″N 87°51′4″W / 30.65194°N 87.85111°W | |
| Location | Malbis, Alabama |
| Country | United States |
| Denomination | Greek Orthodox |
| History | |
| Dedication | Presentation of the Theotokos |
| Dedicated | January 3, 1965 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Frederick C. Woods |
| Style | Byzantine Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Brick, Limestone, Marble |
|
Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage
|
|
| Designated | November 30, 1977 |
The Malbis Memorial Church is a special Greek Orthodox Church. It is located in Malbis, Alabama. This town is in Baldwin County, Alabama. The church's full name is the Sacred Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monastery of the Presentation of Theotokos.
It is one of only a few Greek Orthodox churches in Alabama. This church is unique because it reports directly to the leader of the Greek Orthodox faith, the Patriarchate of Constantinople. It does not report to the main Greek Orthodox group in America. The church is famous for its beautiful and detailed mosaics and paintings.
It was officially opened on January 3, 1965. Archbishop Iakovos of America led the first service. The church has never had a regular group of people who attend every week. However, special services and events, like weddings, do happen there. The church was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on November 30, 1977. The area around the church, called the Malbis Plantation Historic District, was recognized in 2008.
Contents
History of the Malbis Memorial Church
The story of the Malbis Memorial Church starts with Malbis Plantation. This community was founded by Jason Malbis. He was a Greek immigrant. His birth name was Antonios Markopoulos. He spent the first part of his life in a monastery.
How Malbis Plantation Started
Jason Malbis moved to Chicago around 1900. He changed his name to Malbis there. Then, he and his friend, William Papageorge, traveled across the country. They were looking for a place to start a Greek community. In 1906, they bought 120 acres of land near Daphne, Alabama. This land cost $5 per acre. This was the beginning of Malbis Plantation.
Other Greek families soon joined Jason Malbis and Papageorge. They began building the plantation in this wild, wooded area. In 1909, they bought another 600 acres. By 1920, the community had grown to 85 people. The group was self-sufficient. They farmed the land and grew their own food.
Over time, they built many things. They had their own power plant, a dairy farm, and a cannery. They also had a bank, a garage, and a plant nursery. They even owned a timber company and a motel. They had a bakery in nearby Mobile, Alabama. The plantation eventually owned more than 10,000 acres of land.
Building the Church
Jason Malbis passed away in 1942 while visiting Greece. He had left clear instructions for his community. He wanted them to "build a Greek Orthodox church for me in Malbis." The community made his wish come true in 1965.
The church was built using money from selling the plantation's bakery. This bakery was on Broad Street in Mobile. Sam George Papas, who was the president of Malbis Plantation at the time, arranged the sale. After the church was finished, Jason Malbis's remains were placed inside. His crypt is to the right of the iconostasis (the screen with icons).
Architecture and Design
The Malbis Memorial Church was designed in the Byzantine Revival style. This style looks back to old Byzantine buildings. The architectural firm of Frederick C. Woods and Associates in Mobile designed it. The church is built from brick, limestone, and marble. Its design was inspired by the Church of Ayia Paraskevi in Athens, Greece.
Church Layout and Exterior
The church has a cruciform shape. This means it is shaped like a cross when you look down from above. Two domed towers stand on either side of the main entrance. The front of the church has a stone arcade. This is like a covered walkway with arches.
This entrance area has three sets of doors. Above each door are arched mosaics. These mosaics show Theotokos (Mary), Jesus, and Saint Paul. Above the arcade are arched windows. There are also mosaic panels showing Saints John, Luke, Mark, and Matthew. The very top of the front has a pediment (a triangular part). It is covered in a mosaic of the Dove of Peace. All the mosaics on the outside were made by an Italian artist named Sirio Tonelli. They were created in his workshop in Pietrasanta, Italy. Then, they were shipped to Malbis to be put in place.
Inside the Church
Almost every surface inside the church is covered with hand-painted icons. This amazing artwork was done by a Greek iconographer, Spyros Tziouvaras. He had two assistants, Haralambos Tziouvaras and Chris Tziouvaras.
The large dome above the center of the church is very special. It has a painting of the Pantocrator (The Almighty). The Tziouvaras team painted this while lying on a scaffold. The scaffold was 75 feet above the floor! The main part of the church, called the nave, has Corinthian columns. These columns and pilasters (flat columns) are made of red marble. The iconostasis (the screen separating the altar), the bishop's throne, and the pulpit (where sermons are given) are all carved from white Pentelic marble.
In 1979, Hurricane Frederic caused damage to many of the beautiful paintings inside the church. Especially the ones in the dome. After several attempts to fix them, an artist from the Mobile area, David Riall, was hired. He carefully researched and experimented. He was able to perfectly match the original work of the Tziouvaras team.
