Photos: Paraskevi Spyropoulou

On Saturday, 14 February 2026, at noon, at the Cultural–Spiritual Centre of the Holy Metropolis of Chalkida, the first iconography workshop for children was held, organized by the Catechetical School of the Metropolitan Church of Saint Demetrios in Chalkida, in cooperation with the iconographer Ms. Dorothea Giannoukou and coordinated by the head of the Centre’s operation, Ms. Paraskevi Spyropoulou.

The activities of the workshop were attended by all the catechetical schools of the parishes of the Annunciation of the Theotokos of Amarynthos, the Annunciation of the Theotokos of Kanithos (Chalkida), Saints Peter and Paul of Chalkida, and the Church of Saint Eleousa in Chalkida.

Ms. iconographer Dorothea Giannoukou, from the very beginning, managed to capture the attention of all the children and, in a way accessible to them, introduced them to the history and techniques of Byzantine painting, discussing with them the origins, spread, and survival of iconography to this day. She also showed and explained the stages of preparation and creation of a sacred icon and guided the children interactively through the materials found in the iconographer’s workshop. Particular enthusiasm and satisfaction were generated in all the children by the creation of an icon of the Virgin Mary, which they painted by recalling the information they had received and following Ms. Giannoukou’s instructions.

The satisfaction of the participating catechists and children gives the organizers the desire for continuation and brings hope to our local Church for the spiritual cultivation of its younger members.