English Text:
It was built as a great three-aisled, timber-roofed basilica with a transept on the east side. Its dimensions are 130x50 m. There is a monumental semi-circular propylon with marble stairs that leads from the Forum to the columned courtyard of the temple. From the courtyard, two entrances lead to the four-sided atrium, which has galleries on its three sides (east, north and south) while its western side is shaped as a two level fountain.
The connection between the atrium and the vestibule (narthex) is achieved through three entrances. On the northwest side of the narthex, the Baptistery as well as the staircase which led to the women's quarters of the church are preserved.
From the vestibule, the faithful were entering the naos (nave) via three entrances, a central triple entrance (tribelon) and two simple ones on the side. Two colonnades with 15 columns each, divided the church into three aisles. In front of the bema (presbytery) the colonnades bent at right angles to the north and south respectively, forming the transept, a rectangular area perpendicular to the rest of the temple. As a result the temple opens up in its eastern part obtaining the shape of "T."
The church had a saddleback timber roof. The floor of the bema and the transept was paved with marble inlay (small pieces of marble that formed geometric shapes) while the floor of the naos was paved with marble slabs. In the central aisle, parts of the ambo (pulpit) are still preserved and in front of the bema the stylobate of the templon is maintained. There are also traces of the base of the altar as well as the synthronon with the seats of the priests. The aisles were separated by panels leaned on the pillars of the colonnades while panels from colourful marbles consisted the templon of the church.
This magnificent temple, which is distinguished by its size and impressive sculptural decoration (capitals, pilaster-capitals, panels), was built in the late 5th century AD, that is around 500 AD. After its destruction, probably by an earthquake, the church was not reconstructed. But in the southwest corner of the atrium, where there was a Roman cistern, at a place identified by tradition as the prison of Saint Paul, a chapel was built after the 7th-8th century from which there are scant remains today.
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