Metropolitan Bishop Chrysostomos of Smyrna

The full-length statue of Metropolitan Bishop Chrysostomos of Smyrna (1867-1922) is located behind the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, as part of the Memorial for the Victims of the Asia Minor Catastrophe. The statue depicts Chrysostomos of Smyrna, the theologian and high priest who refused to flee Smyrna during the Asia Minor Catastrophe and stayed behind to support his parishioners. As a result, he fell victim to Turkish brutality and was massacred. According to some sources, the old man was brutally tortured by the mob before he was killed; he was blinded and, finally, his body was dismembered. The Greek Orthodox Church declared him a saint and his memory is commemorated on the Sunday before the elevation of the Holy Cross. The statue depicts his serene figure at the moment of supreme martyrdom. It is characteristic that he wears the garb of a clergyman, but without the vestments and insignia of his metropolitan rank. His gaze is turned towards the sky and his hands hold a pose of supplication. The composition is completed by a small altar, on which a brass wreath has been placed, a symbol of sacrifice and glory.