Pilgrimage of Agia Lydia of Phlippians (Baptistery of Lydia)

In Krinides of Kavala, near the ancient city of Philippi, is the unique, monumental pilgrimage of the Equal-to-Apostles Saint Lydia of the Philippians, a modern monument, inspired by the important presence of Apostle Paul in the area.

According to the narration of Luke the Evangelist, Apostle Paul arrived in Philippi, the most important city of the area in the winter of 49-50 AD, during his first travel to Greece. He visited the place where the few Jews gathered every Saturday, at the banks of the river Zigaktis. Here, for the first time that women heard him preach, among them Lydia from Thyateira in Asia Minor, a merchant of purple dye for textiles. Lydia was the first Greek woman and the first European who was baptized a Christian by Paul together with her family and then she herself helped spread Christianity.

In memory of this great event, they erected in 1974 the church-baptistery by the then metropolitan of Philippi, Neapolis and Thasos Alexandros. The plans were made by the architect Ioannis Koumanoudis, while the project was carried out by the architect engineer Christos Batsis. The baptistery has the shape of the octagon. At its centre there is the marble bowl where they baptize infants, while at its two sides there are changing rooms for the adults that are going to be baptized. Its interior is decorated with many and impressive works of art, mosaics, icons, stained glasses, the creation of important artists, who narrate the events that took place during the presence of Apostle Paul in Philippi.

At the banks of the river, at the location where according to tradition Lydia was baptized, there is an outdoor baptistery, shaped as a cross, like the ones surviving at the Early Christian basilicas at Philippi. Here, every year, on the 20th of May, day of celebration of the memory of Agia Lydia, they baptize adults.