Bi-lingual book, featuring both Greek and English texts.The catalogue of the great exhibition organized by the Patriarchal Institute of Patristic Studies at Thessalonica to celebrate its 50 years is now available. The exhibition (under the title TO HMETEPON KAΛΛΟΣ = OUR SACRED BEAUTY - Byzantine Icons of Thessalonica) presented a selection of Byzantine icons carefully selected from monasteries and museums, focusing to the artistic production of the city of Thessalonica and the contribution of the Vlatadon Monastery to the preservation of such artifacts. The impressive huge volume contains excellent reproductions of the icons in full colour, accompanied by detailed artistic analysis of each one and other general articles on Byzantine art and history.Among the presented icons is included a special one of the type of Panaghia Hagiosoreitissa (=Virgin of Mount Athos), according to the tradition a work of the Apostle Lucas (actually a 14th-century work painted in Thessalonica, today in the Freising Museum, Germany).Another unique item is a mosaic icon of Saint Demetrius of the 12th century, bought by an Italian clergyman and today belonging to the Italian municipality of Sassoferrato, near Ancona. Its originality lies in the fact that besides being a mosaic icon, it also has a built-in flask dated to the 13th or 14th century at the top of its frame. Such flasks containing myrrh were used by the pilgrims when they visited the tomb of Saint Demetrius at Thessalonica. \"It is absolutely clear that the image is coming from here,\" emphasizes the curator of the Patristic Studies Foundation.Very heavy item requiring courier delivery.