At the Crypt of the Church of Agios Dimitrios

A Little-known Midnight Mass in Thessaloniki’s Ancient Crypt

Dear readers,

I discovered I’m a part of history after checking this article, which is based on an actual visit I made to the midnight mass of the relevant church years ago. But, how?

I asked a Greek colleague in Thessaloniki if it still goes on as described and, to my great surprise, he said that it stopped after 2019- whether due to the pandemic, tourist influxes, or other reasons was not made clear to him.

All I can say is that it’s pretty cool to have been a part of history, and I am leaving my article unchanged, as if the mass was still held as described; perhaps this will somehow hasten its restoration.

Anyhow, on 26 October is the feast day of Saint Dimitrios of Thessaloniki. In honor of one of the city’s patron saints (and namesake of one of its major religious and tourist attractions), I’m providing some exclusive reportage from what was once a remarkable and singular event, the Friday night midnight mass in the Crypt. As I said above, the article was written after my visit and presumes the continued existence of the mass, though at time of writing it is no more. Enjoy!

If you’re visiting Thessaloniki’s grand Church of Agios (Saint) Dimitrios, and have some free evening time on a Friday, consider dropping in for one of the most unique experiences you can experience- the Friday Midnight vigil in the underground crypt at the back of the church, which hosts his relics. Even if you aren’t Orthodox, you can attend (just keep a respectful distance and please, no photos).

Today, the experience is shared with only a few older parishioners, but it has deep historical roots and immense significance for the spiritual heritage of the city and for the history of Christianity itself.

Being a Christian in late-Roman Thessaloniki was extremely dangerous. Galerius (AD 250-311) made practicing the new religion punishable by death - a stark reality that drove worshipers literally underground. One day in about the year AD 303, a young soldier named Dimitrios was caught preaching in a subterranean portico in the city agora (market). Dragged off to the baths, Dimitrios was speared to death as an example to others.

After the Eastern Roman Empire officially adopted Orthodox Christianity under Emperor Constantine the Great, Dimitrios became venerated as Thessaloniki's patron saint. Numerous miracles were credited to him, including sudden appearances to save the city whenever it fell under barbarian siege. Miraculous healing of the sick was especially associated with the crypt where Dimitrios was martyred, which lies beneath the enormous 5th-century church named after him.

During the Turkish occupation, however, the crypt was filled in and forgotten, only to be recovered after the Greek capture of Thessaloniki in 1912. The devastating fire of 1917 caused extensive damage to both church and crypt, necessitating much conservation work.

Open regularly to the public, the stone-and-brick crypt is maze-like and hauntingly lit, and displays archaeological finds from the ancient church. For a truly unearthly and uniquely Thessaloniki experience, descend into this other world of pungent incense and prayer at the special liturgy held here every Friday from 9pm to 11pm. People file in silently in ones and twos, heads down like members of some secret society, and take up places, free-form, in crumbling corners or in the darkness under stone archways that are soon reverberating with the deep intonations of Byzantine chants.

Observing a service in the underground crypt, one of the holiest places in Greece, also gives travelers the chance to experience, in some small way, religion as Thessaloniki's first Christians did, at a time when one's faith was constantly being tested by the all-too-real fear of being discovered and killed by the state. When the priest gathers parishioners around the site of the saint's martyrdom and speaks in soft tones of moral edification, this past reality really hits home.

The crypt liturgy also allows female travelers who wish they could visit Mt Athos a chance to experience modern Greece's unbroken tradition of ancient Orthodox spirituality first-hand. You don't have to be particularly religious to attend, so long as you dress and act quietly and respectfully (turn off your phone).