Title: Treasures of Greek Orthodox Memory [Thissavrismata Ellinorthodoxis Mnimis], Vol. I & Vol. II – in Greek
Author: Kleopatra Papaevangelou‑Genakou
Publisher: Bank of Greece (Centre for Culture, Research and Documentation)
Year of publication: 2026
Number of pages: 360 (Vol. Ι) and 368 (Vol. ΙΙ)
Dimensions of each book: 29 h. x 24 w. cm
Book type: Album
ISBN: 978-618-5536-77-0 (σετ) | 978-618-5536-75-6 (Τόμος Ι) | ISBN: 978-618-5536-76-3 (Τόμος ΙΙ)
About the book
Medals and decorations are not only objects of aesthetic or technical craftsmanship; they are historical testimonies rich in meaning and symbolism. Through their imagery, they record events, people, memories, and values, shaping a compact narrative of the past.
The two‑volume work Treasures of Greek Orthodox Memory—the result of extensive research by Dr. Kleopatra Papaevangelou‑Genakou, scientific advisor of the Bank of Greece’s Numismatic Collection—brings together the Collection’s ecclesiastical and religious medals and decorations. As Paschalis Kitromilides of the Academy of Athens notes in his foreword, the work “essentially maps the ecclesiastical human geography of the Greek Orthodox world.”
In her introduction, the author observes: “The Collection’s 856 religious artifacts reflect the grandeur of the Greek Orthodox world. More than one hundred issuing authorities are represented, spread across five continents—Europe, America, Africa, Asia, and Australia—and the material spans from the early nineteenth century to the present. These pieces commemorate major ecclesiastical events, are linked to important pilgrimage sites and historic churches, and at times appear as modest local commemorative tokens, amulets, or popular devotional souvenirs.”
This publication offers a coherent presentation of a significant part of the Bank of Greece’s Numismatic Collection, which continues to inspire research and interpretation. Aside from its strictly numismatic core, the Collection comprises plentiful medals, honourary distinctions, and related objects that illuminate diverse aspects of historical experience.