The church of San Zaccaria

The Byzantine fresco

The church of San Zaccaria was one of the most ancient churches in Caulonia. From an ancient manuscript it was discovered that this “temple of cult” had been founded by a Jew “for having been enlightened by San Zaccaria to embrace the Christian faith”. All that remains of this old church today is a Byzantine fresco, depicting Jesus Christ, the Madonna and Saint John, in a small apse which used to stand above the main altar. In the open book that Jesus holds in his left hand, there is a part of verse XII, chapter VIII, of Saint Johns Gospel, written in Greek: “Ego sum lux mundi, qui sequitur me non ambulat in tenebris”. There are a further two inscriptions on the onlooker’s left, between the Madonna and Saint John, which say: "“emento Domine, servi tui Nicolai Pere, sacerdotis, Domine, concede ei resurrectionem” and “Iesus Christus Mater Dei, Ioannis praecursor”. Like many other things belonging to the past, even this Byzantine fresco continues to be exposed to the cruelties of time and weather.