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The chapel of Saint Lydia of Philippi, located within the beautiful grounds of the Ktima Aelia, is a true gem for the most significant moments of your life. Surrounded by the tranquility of nature and the enchanting garden of the estate, the chapel offers a serene and sacred atmosphere for the ceremonies of weddings and baptisms.
Saint Lydia, the first woman baptized in Europe by the Apostle Paul, symbolizes faith and new beginnings, adding a special significance to the ceremonies held here. The chapel is ideal for those seeking a warm and traditional space for this important moment in their lives, while also providing intimacy and a sense of privacy.
By choosing to hold your wedding or your child's baptism at the chapel of Saint Lydia of Philippi, you will experience a ceremony that will forever be etched in your hearts, in an environment that beautifully blends sanctity with natural beauty.
One of the most beloved female figures mentioned in the New Testament is Saint Lydia from Philippi in Macedonia. In fact, she is regarded as the first Christian woman in Europe.
Saint Lydia hailed from Thyatira in Asia Minor and traded purple dye for wool fabric in Philippi, Macedonia, which is why the city is referred to as "Purple City."
She is the first European Christian and the first Christian in Macedonia, who was catechized and baptized on the banks of the Zygaktis River in Philippi by the Apostle Paul, as mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.
Although she belonged to a family of pagans, her restless heart, thirsting for truth and connection with the true God, led her, along with other devout women, to attend the teachings of the Apostle Paul. When the Apostle Paul was in Troas, he saw a vision of a man dressed in Macedonian attire, inviting him to come to Macedonia, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us" (Acts 16:9). The Apostle Paul interpreted this vision as a divine invitation and arrived in Philippi to preach the word of Christ.
After her baptism, Lydia, wishing to express her gratitude to the Apostle Paul, invited him and his companions to her home. "And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, 'If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there.' And she constrained us" (Acts 16:14-15).
Her memory is commemorated on May 20th by the Orthodox Church and on August 3rd by the Catholic Church.
Our Church honors Saint Lydia as an Equal-to-the-Apostles, and at the sacred site of her baptism, a church-baptistery has been erected, as well as an outdoor baptistery on the adjacent bank of the Zygaktis River, similar to those preserved in the Early Christian basilicas of Philippi. A church dedicated to her has also been established.
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