• About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
Orthodox Times (en)
  • Home
  • Orthodoxy
    • Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Dioceses of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Mount Athos
      • Archdiocese of America
      • Archdiocese of Australia
      • Church of Crete
    • Patriarchates
      • Patriarchate of Alexandria
      • Patriarchate of Antioch
      • Patriarchate of Moscow
      • Patriarchate of Serbia
      • Patriarchate of Romania
      • Patriarchate of Jerusalem
      • Patriarchate of Bulgaria
      • Patriarchate of Georgia
    • Churches
      • Church of Greece
      • Church of Cyprus
      • Church of Poland
      • Church of Albania
      • Church of Czech and Slovakia
      • Church of Ukraine
  • Politics
    • USA
    • Europe
    • Middle East
  • Society
    • Greek Diaspora
    • Culture
  • Spirituality
  • Christianity
  • Opinions
  • Home
  • Orthodoxy
    • Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Dioceses of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Mount Athos
      • Archdiocese of America
      • Archdiocese of Australia
      • Church of Crete
    • Patriarchates
      • Patriarchate of Alexandria
      • Patriarchate of Antioch
      • Patriarchate of Moscow
      • Patriarchate of Serbia
      • Patriarchate of Romania
      • Patriarchate of Jerusalem
      • Patriarchate of Bulgaria
      • Patriarchate of Georgia
    • Churches
      • Church of Greece
      • Church of Cyprus
      • Church of Poland
      • Church of Albania
      • Church of Czech and Slovakia
      • Church of Ukraine
  • Politics
    • USA
    • Europe
    • Middle East
  • Society
    • Greek Diaspora
    • Culture
  • Spirituality
  • Christianity
  • Opinions
No Result
View All Result
Orthodox Times (en)
No Result
View All Result

Why Saint Sisoes is at the tomb of Alexander the Great

Jul 06, 2021 | 12:01
in Carousel Front Page, Theology
Why Saint Sisoes is at the tomb of Alexander the Great

A saint of the Orthodox Christian Church, the ascetic Sisoes, has been depicted for hundreds of years in hagiographies at the tomb of Alexander the Great as reported by protothema.gr.

Saint Sisoes is an enigma for both classical and Byzantine archeology. Qualified scientists try to decipher the symbolism of the relevant hagiographies, the first of which dates back to the 14th century AD.

They also want to answer convincingly the question: Did Saint Sisoes really see the tomb of Alexander the Great?

Sotiris Athanaselis, professor of Toxicology at the Medical School of the University of Athens, talked about Saint Sisoes.

Specifically, in his letter entitled “The Tomb of Alexander the Great in Christian Hagiography,” the professor writes: “I had the opportunity to visit many times the Church of the Dominion of the Virgin Mary in the village of Koukouli in Epirus.

When I first visited this church and saw the amazing hagiography, I was struck by a mural-hagiography of Saint Sisoes at the open tomb of Alexander the Great (!) who exclaims:

‘Seeing you in a grave, I am timid and frightened at your sight and I shed tears from my heart, bringing to my mind the debt that all people have to pay (that is, death), so I will suffer such an end. Ah, ah death, who is the one who can avoid you?’

This scene, as depicted in the above mural, in addition to the impression it caused me, also created reasonable questions for me which I tried to investigate with relative success since I am not specialized in this issue.

The disciples of Saint Sisoes, who are considered to be the first to depict the relevant scene, describe it as follows: ‘Sisoes the Great at the tomb of the glorious King of the Greeks, Alexander, is terrified and expresses his sorrow over the ephemeral glory so he weeps.’

Life of Saint Sisoes

Saint Sisoes was born in 367 and died in AD 429. He became an ascetic in the desert of Thebes in Egypt. His memory is celebrated on July 6 and belongs to the first generation of great ascetics who followed Antonios the Great.

The monastery of Abba Sisoes, located in the valley of Nitria in the region of Wadi el Natroun in Egypt, is one of the ancient monasteries of the Skete, the cradle of Christian monasticism, which has been operating since the 4th century AD.

The monastery contains the relic of Saint Sisoes which is said to be perfectly preserved on a red cloth.

The monks claim that it is common for Saint Sisoes to perform miracles for the true believers and is also considered one of the most important saints of the Coptic Christians in Egypt.

Different depictions of Saint Sisoes in hagiography

His first depictions, in the 16th century, represent him as a respected elder. Saint Sisoes is always depicted next to the tomb of Alexander the Great, pondering over the futility of life and the inevitability of death. But why Alexander the Great and not someone else?

It should be noted that similar hagiographies to that of Koukouli have been found in Great Lavra and Xiropotamos Monastery on Mount Athos, the Monastery of Barlaam in Meteora (1566) and the Monastery of Megisti in Kastelorizo.

Similiar hagiographies can be found in churches of Kastoria, such as in the chapel of Saint Ioannis the Theologian in the Monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa (1552), in Saint Nikolaos Theologinas (1662) and in the Church of John the Forerunner in the Apozari district (1727).

A similar depiction exists in the Monastery of the Holy Archangels in Milies, Pilion (1774). To all of this should be added the relatively later depiction of the Dormition of the Virgin in Koukouli, Zagori (1788).

Of particular importance is the hagiography of Saint Ioannis the Theologian in the Monastery of Panagia Mavriotissa in which Saint Sisoes is depicted in front of an open tomb where, along with the skeleton of Alexander the Great, two other skeletons are depicted.

According to one version, this shows the posthumous equality of kings and non-kings. But does this depiction indicate the burial of Alexander the Great in a communal tomb?

What makes the hagiography of Koukouli different (and unique in relation to the other hagiographies) is that on the head of the skeleton of Alexander the Great there is a golden crown.

I do not know if similar depictions exist in other churches throughout Greece besides the aforementioned. Relevant information from more experts on the subject would be particularly useful and informative.

Knowing the extensive discussions over the exact location of the tomb of Alexander the Great, I wondered why Saint Sisoes is always depicted in front of this tomb? Did Saint Sisoes really find the tomb of Alexander the Great somewhere where he was a monk? Is this hagiography shows the depiction of a real event?

If the exact routes of Saint Sisoes are to be found and located, will the legendary tomb of Alexander the Great be traced? “These are definitely very interesting questions that others, more specialized than me, could or will be able to answer.”

The question posed by the case of Saint Sisoes is whether his depiction should be taken as a literal fact or as a symbol.

In the first version, the historical data about a visit of Saint Sisoes to the tomb of Alexander the Great are investigated.

In the second, however, archaeologists emphasize how the hagiography reflects “the fear of death of the entire Byzantine world that has seen an empire collapse and ponder over the futility of the world,” as one can read in a related article of archaiologia.gr.

Moreover, it seems that the depictions of Saint Sisoes at the tomb of Alexander the Great is a later addition, probably made by Georgios Frangos, who painted the Monastery of Barlaam in Meteora in 1556.

Until then, while the saint was presented at an open tomb of a stranger, it was Georgios Frangos the one who painted him near the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great precisely to emphasize even more the futility of the mundane things.

Tags: Theology

Follow OrthodoxTimes.com on Google News and learn all the news about Orthodoxy in Greece and worldwide.

All the latest developments in the Orthodox world, society and humankind, at the moment they happen, at OrthodoxTimes.com


Related Posts

Sunday of Fathers of First Ecumenical Council
Theology

Sunday of Fathers of First Ecumenical Council

June 13, 2021
Load More
Next Post
Celebration of Synaxis of All Saints in France

Celebration of Synaxis of All Saints in France

Latest News

The feast of the Holy, Glorious, and All-Praised Apostles at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem

The feast of the Holy, Glorious, and All-Praised Apostles at the Patriarchate of Jerusalem

by NewsRoom
Jul 14, 2025 | 18:26
0

On Sunday, 13 July 2025, the Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrated the feast of the Holy, Glorious, and All-Praised Apostles...

Refutation of false online publications concerning the Metropolitan of Vratsa

Refutation of false online publications concerning the Metropolitan of Vratsa

by NewsRoom
Jul 14, 2025 | 12:49
0

The Holy Metropolis of Vratsa informed the faithful and the public that false and defamatory reports had recently been...

Archbishop of America at the parish of the Church of Our Saviour in Rye, NY

Archbishop of America: A church has once again become the scene of senseless violence

by NewsRoom
Jul 14, 2025 | 11:58
0

In the wake of a tragic act of violence, Archbishop Elpidophoros of America has issued a heartfelt statement mourning...

Memory of Nicodemus the Righteous of Mount Athos

Memory of Nicodemus the Righteous of Mount Athos

by NewsRoom
Jul 14, 2025 | 11:10
0

Saint Nikodemos (Νikόdēmos) of the Holy Mountain was born on the Greek island of Naxos in the year 1748,...

Intrusion of Orthodox Churches in Patriarchate’s work in Africa to be discussed in Holy Synod

Exclusive: The “fiasco” of Moscow Patriarchate in Africa and the responsibility of Alexandria administration

by NewsRoom
Jul 14, 2025 | 00:01
0

By Efi Efthimiou Hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Alexandria describe the situation in the dioceses under its jurisdiction on...

Patriarch of Bulgaria attended the Musical Poem “The Hermit of Rila” before Patriarchal Cathedral

Patriarch of Bulgaria attended the Musical Poem “The Hermit of Rila” before Patriarchal Cathedral

by NewsRoom
Jul 13, 2025 | 15:44
0

Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria attended the musical poem “The Hermit of Rila,” staged from July 11 to 13 in...

Newsletter

Sign up for our weekly newsletter



Quick Links

  • Orthodoxy
  • Politics
  • Society
  • Spirituality
  • Christianity
  • Opinions
  • History
  • Press Releases

Get Social

About Us

Advertise

Contact

Terms Of Use

© 2025 OrthodoxTimes.com
digital world media

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Orthodoxy
    • Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Dioceses of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
      • Mount Athos
      • Archdiocese of America
      • Archdiocese of Australia
      • Church of Crete
    • Patriarchates
      • Patriarchate of Alexandria
      • Patriarchate of Antioch
      • Patriarchate of Moscow
      • Patriarchate of Serbia
      • Patriarchate of Romania
      • Patriarchate of Jerusalem
      • Patriarchate of Bulgaria
      • Patriarchate of Georgia
    • Churches
      • Church of Greece
      • Church of Cyprus
      • Church of Poland
      • Church of Albania
      • Church of Czech and Slovakia
      • Church of Ukraine
  • Politics
    • USA
    • Europe
    • Middle East
  • Society
    • Greek Diaspora
    • Culture
  • Spirituality
  • Christianity
  • Opinions
  • Greek Version

© 2023 OrthodoxTimes.com - All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT