One of the most interesting monuments of the early Christian period in Thessaloniki is undoubtedly the Church of St David. The church is located in the historical centre of the city and is under the jurisdiction of the Metropolis of Thessaloniki.
Originally consecrated in honour of Christ the Saviour, the Church of St. David was built around the end of the 5th - beginning of the 6th century on the ruins of a Roman structure and was the catholicon of the Latomou Monastery (unfortunately, the Church of St. David is the only structure of the monastery complex that has survived to this day). The original church was a square structure with an apse in the eastern part and an entrance on the western side, the roof of the temple was topped with a dome (later it was replaced by a tiled roof). Presumably in the 16th century the western part of the church was destroyed and the entrance was moved to the south side.
Under Turkish rule, like most Christian churches in Thessaloniki, the church was converted into a mosque and the ancient mosaics and wall paintings were hidden behind a layer of plaster. The church was returned to the Greek Orthodox Church only after the liberation of the city. In 1921 the church was re-consecrated, and it was then that it received its present name. In 1988, the Church of St David, together with other early Christian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki, was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
As one of the oldest examples of a cross-domed church, today the Church of St David is of great architectural interest. It is also worth noting the high artistic value of the magnificent mosaics (5th-6th century) and the unique wall paintings (12th century), which have survived quite well under a thick layer of plaster. The mosaic adorning the apse known as "The Vision of Ezekiel" (or "The Glory of the Lord") depicting the young Christ, as well as the frescoes "The Bathing of Christ" (based on the apocryphal story from the Protoevangelium of James) and "The Nativity of Christ" deserve special attention..
