In
1864 the Greek Orthodox Community of Kavala acquired the right to build
district outside the fort and the City's the first task was to build a
church for the religious needs of believers, the church of Ioanni
Baptisti, in a land that was countryside for city residents in the
castle and pilgrimage dedicated to the Zoodochos Pigi.
The fitted plate in the narthex,
inscription dated, stating: ΄΄Διονυσίου Ξάνθης/ Αρχιερατεύοντος/
αναλώμασι της των/ Ελλήνων παροικίας/ ο ναός ούτος ανηγέρθη εν έτει /
ΑΩΞς (1866)΄΄. At both entrances of the enclosure, on the north which is
the main entrance, on the road Philippi Str., and south on the road
today Venizelos Str., is engraved with the year 1867, year of
construction of the precinct and the entrance of the courtyard.
The church is honored in the name of the
Holy glorious Baptist Ioannis and the main festivals are the Birth of
the Baptist (June 24). It is a five-aisled basilica with a dome, kind
skylight, which is the arch of the middle aisle. The Corinthian
kionokrana, the small columns, the simple decoration of the temple and
the stuccoed decorations on the arch of the roof and in various other
places, are all neoclassical buildings, customary in this period. The
apostles are depicted in oval portraits above the columns, between
Genesis bow, and the Almighty in medal stucco colored flowers in the
middle of the vault of the central aisle. The Twelve, Lord's miracles,
individual saints etc. are represented on screen in two rows of
twenty-six, over the icons. All images in this temple are paintings of
the 19th century (1867) except St John's right of the despot Christ
which was made in 1921.