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A century-old religious painting connected to a Florida Greek Orthodox community in Tarpon Springs has been rediscovered in Greece
The artwork was sent to Greece for restoration more than 100 years ago but was never returned
Local officials are now working with church leaders in hopes of bringing the painting back to Florida
A painting that belonged to a cathedral in Florida and went missing over 100 years ago has been rediscovered in Greece.
The painting — which features a religious icon — was presented to the St. Nicholas Greek Church (now Cathedral) in Tarpon Springs, a city on Florida’s Gulf coast, by a group of immigrants from the Greek Island of Aegina in 1910, according to a recent Facebook post from Tarpon Springs Mayor John Koulianos.
The gesture held special significance, as Tarpon Springs was — and remains — the home of many people of Greek ancestry.
The St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Florida.
Credit: Getty
The painting was damaged in a fire and was returned to Greece in 1923 to be restored. However, it was never returned to the cathedral.
Koulianos made a special trip to Greece in July with the dual goal of locating the painting and finalizing details of a ceremony that would officially make Tarpon Springs and Aegina twin cities.
“I believe I may have been successful in achieving both goals,” he wrote in his post.
While speaking to local news outlet Fox 13 Tampa Bay, Koulianos said that he met with the mayor of Aegina during his visit, who in turn made a call to a local priest who knew the location of the lost painting.
Koulianos then found the piece — which dated back to the Byzantine Empire — hanging in a local church.
“It’s about the size of maybe like a movie poster … a little bit too big to put in a suitcase,” Koulianos said while speaking to the outlet.
“I was thinking about that, and maybe I could just grab it and that wasn’t going to happen,” he jokingly added.
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The St. Nicholas Icon painting.
Credit: John Koulianos, Mayor of Tarpon Springs/Facebook
Koulianos and city officials are now awaiting approval from Florida Greek Orthodox church officials to bring the painting back to Tarpon Springs.
The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Atlanta, which oversees Greek Orthodox parishes across a number of southern states, including Florida, did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on the status of their decision.
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