Paros and its Church of 100 Doors have made the literary pages of the Irish Times in a big way.  Perhaps more accurately, Poet Michael Longley has immortalised the church and the romance of Paros by writing poetry about it.

This is the introduction of the book review by Theo Dorgan:

“THE TITLE OF Michael Longley’s new book comes from the island of Paros. Helena, mother of Constantine, had a wooden church built there, and two centuries later Justinian the Great had the church rebuilt, commissioning Isidorus, one of the two architects of Hagia Sophia, to undertake the work. Isidorus farmed out the work to his apprentice, Ignatius, but was smitten with jealousy, legend has it, when he arrived to see the magnificent dome that crowned the great church. Enraged, he pushed the apprentice off the roof; Ignatius, grasping him by the ankle as he fell, took Isidorus with him. The island wisdom is that the church has 100 doors, 99 of which are known; the 100th, they say, will be found only when Constantinople is Greek again.”

Use this link to read the review including some of Michael Longley’s poetry:  http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/weekend/2011/0319/1224292565665.html

Use this link to buy the book: