pothos.org

It's an interesting point, that the Greek orthodox vita of saints ("Synaxarion") has a Saint Alexander for 10. June. Of cause the told vita is not of Alexander the Great, but still it's a young saint. I think that the compilation of the Synaxarion might be older than the determination of Alexander's death day by historians, but I'm not sure.
Even more puzzling is that on 20. July (Alexander's birth day) they have the Prophet Elias = Helios (who is depicted on a chariot with four white horses), when we keep in mind the Hellenistic assimilation Alexander - Helios.
Taking Aristobulus’ 12 years and 8 months of reign, Alexander became king in the now called month October, and there is on 26. October the great feast of Saint Demetrios, the patron of Thessaloniki. The depictions of this saint on horseback killing an fallen enemy, standing with panoply and lance or sitting just like Apelles' Alexander with the thunderbolt show that this saint took the place of Alexander in early Christian Thessaloniki’s worship, where Alexander was worshipped at least until the 4th century AD. Maybe 26 October is the correct date for Alexander's accession to the throne?
Now his portrait is again the symbol of the municipality of Thessaloniki, and every year takes place a memorial celebration for Alexander on a Sunday after the anniversary of his death under his statue at the coast promenade, organized by the Prefecture. I think this year it must be on 14 June or else on 21 June, I haven’t seen any announcement yet. If someone of you happens to be in Greece, be welcomed!
I too will light a candle tonight.

Hi artemisia,
thank you for this information, which I found very interesting indeed. This would seem to follow a pattern of early Christian leaders being careful to provide links and connections where they could, to the pagan past, to make things easier for the people, and assimilating what they could.
Choosing Saint Alexander for 10th June, can't be coincidence, surely? Whenever the Synaxarion was compiled, it looks as if the compiler knew very well that Alexander the Great was commemorated, if not worshipped, on that day.
Prophet Elias for 20th July is striking, too, when you consider that one of the most vivid descriptions of him in the Old Testament is of him running before the chariot. A good substitute for Helios, who, as you say, had in turn been assimilated with Alexander since at least the construction of the Colossus at Rhodes.
And with a pattern like that in place, I don't think it's too much of a stretch to imagine that the choice of Demetrios for 26th October implies that that day, too, was associated with Alexander by the people, and that it perhaps represents oral history evidence of what the date of his accession really was.
And thank you for telling us about the commemoration in Thessaloniki. How I would love to be there. Imagine, how moving, to carry your candle to that amazing statue on the sea front. One year, maybe. I didn't know this was done, on a Sunday after the anniversary of his death, and I am very glad to know it.
Fiona

artemisia wrote:It's an interesting point, that the Greek orthodox vita of saints ("Synaxarion") has a Saint Alexander for 10. June. Of cause the told vita is not of Alexander the Great, but still it's a young saint. I think that the compilation of the Synaxarion might be older than the determination of Alexander's death day by historians, but I'm not sure.
Even more puzzling is that on 20. July (Alexander's birth day) they have the Prophet Elias = Helios (who is depicted on a chariot with four white horses), when we keep in mind the Hellenistic assimilation Alexander - Helios.
Taking Aristobulus’ 12 years and 8 months of reign, Alexander became king in the now called month October, and there is on 26. October the great feast of Saint Demetrios, the patron of Thessaloniki. The depictions of this saint on horseback killing an fallen enemy, standing with panoply and lance or sitting just like Apelles' Alexander with the thunderbolt show that this saint took the place of Alexander in early Christian Thessaloniki’s worship, where Alexander was worshipped at least until the 4th century AD. Maybe 26 October is the correct date for Alexander's accession to the throne?
Now his portrait is again the symbol of the municipality of Thessaloniki, and every year takes place a memorial celebration for Alexander on a Sunday after the anniversary of his death under his statue at the coast promenade, organized by the Prefecture. I think this year it must be on 14 June or else on 21 June, I haven’t seen any announcement yet. If someone of you happens to be in Greece, be welcomed!
I too will light a candle tonight.

Hi Fiona,
In the beginning, in 1998, the celebration was organized by some associations of lovers of antiquity, where I’m a member, and a nationalistic party, and from 2003 it was taken over by the present – courageous - Prefect of Thessaloniki. He got many affronts from the Athenian government and was accused to be a nationalist for this!
Nowadays some politicians – and last year even the local pope (!) – deliver speeches, a ballet company and folklore groups dance, the band of the municipality plays marches, some years they present a documentary film, and finally wreaths are laid down.
The event is surrounded by the big book exhibition along the coast promenade, which takes place every year in June.
It’s really moving to be there!

Artemisia, I have to say, until I read your post about Agio Dimitri, I'd thought I was the only one who noticed the likeness in his many portraits to Alexander. Sometimes, I've even mistaken a picture for Alexander, then on closer inspection, realised it is really a picture of Saint Dimitrios (or Saint George, another hero on horseback with a long spear). The church would never admit this traditionally but I think there is a lot more pre-Christian history and culture in all this than most faithful Orthodox believers know.

I would love to visit Thessaloniki during the festival you speak of. Just for the books it would be worth it!

O yes, Alita, everything in Christian tradition which is not Jewish, is ancient pagan. Saint George is the Thracian horse rider, a very famous theme in ancient relief’s all over Thrace and Macedonia. He is a Thracian deity and is usually depicted killing a boar, watched by the holy serpent in a tree (which became the dragon in Christian iconography). Other deities which became saints: Zeus = Saint Athanasios (his churches often found on hill tops), Poseidon = Saint Nikolaos (his churches in harbors), Demeter, Athene = Virgin Mary (they put her assumption in the time of the Panathenian feast, 15th of August. A church of Mary is over the holy precinct of Eleusis), Artemis = Santa Paraskevi (protects springs). The tradition of Hestia goes on in the iconostasis in orthodox houses with an ever burning candle.

The cultural continuity is striking. I suppose there needed to be a way for the clergy to make Christianity acceptable and more familiar to the populace and so replaced the gods of Olympus with saints. I've heard that the Italians did the same with the goddess Diana, substituting her with the Virgin Mary.