p. 6- The polyglot quarters of the community of Chicago are on the road to the revival of the fine arts. This time it is the beauties of ancient Byzantium, the civilization of which flourished more than seven centuries ago.

The Greeks of Chicago, who not many years ago were employed as fruit-vendors or section-hands, or who entered business as proprietors of restaurants or of confectioneries, settled in groups in the areas surrounding Greek churches; in particular, around the Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, which is situated on the near North Side only a few minutes away from the Loop and only a few steps away from the exclusive and well-known "Gold Coast."

This church is located at 1019 North La Salle Street. The edifice ranks as the truest example of Byzantine architecture in the United States, but to the Greek citizen of Chicago it represents the nucleus of a cultural revival seeking as its goal the lure of the colorful, the weird, the paradoxical, and the unusual.

A three-hour mass is conducted at this church every Sunday in a marvelous environment of Byzantine splendor which has been preserved by tradition to the present day, uninfluenced by this age of modernization.

There is hieratical dress of stiffly embroidered and jeweled vestments, enameled ikons, decorations of gold and mosaic, luxurious Russian chandeliers, and long, semi-circular windows that seem to await the arrival of some saint to occupy their vacant spaces of white glass. In the center of the church is a large dome supported by smaller domes, the weight of which rests upon columns with incongruously placed Corinthian capitals.

The choir sings Byzantine hymns centuries old. Summed up in its entirety, it forms a ceremony full of pomp and beauty, reminiscent of the courtly days of ancient Byzantium, the time of Theodora and Pogonotas.

All this beauty has been transplanted to a busy city thoroughfare where the shrieks of thousands of automobile-horns occasionally interrupt the peaceful enjoyment of the Byzantine liturgy.

This pomp is not meant to arouse the enthusiasm of those present; it is merely to serve as background for the scenic drama of worship.

The great interest in Byzantine art which has recently been manifested has brought to light an ancient Byzantine ikon which is described as of the three-portal style, each portal eight by ten inches in size.

Mr. Daniel Rich of the Chicago Art Institute, who is an eminent authority on the history of painting, has estimated that this ikon is more than seven hundred years old, a work of the thirteenth century A.D.

Among photographs of noted pugilists, pairs of boxing-gloves, pictures of famous baseball-players, and other trophies and samples of this fast-moving modern generation this small sacred object was found hanging on the wall of the modest twenty-dollar-a-month dwelling of an aged couple, Mr. and Mrs. George Galineas, who reside at 620 South Halsted Street.

In this house with its uncontrolled and unpleasant atmospheric conditions the ancient ikon had suffered physical deterioration and was almost totally ruined.

The ikon is a family heirloom which was brought to America by the aged couple seventeen years ago. According to statements made by the elderly woman, Mrs. Sophia Galineas, it is an old relic with a history of miracles dating as far back as the beginning of the Bourbon dynasty.

Rich tones of scarlet and chestnut, dominated by the brighter shade of gold, are blended into a multicolored scheme of exquisite beauty and emotional appeal.

In the center of the ikon is the Madonna, portrayed as a proud but pensive figure. The Mother of God is here majestically and impressively represented, not in the pompous style of recent centuries but in the primitive manner. The Holy Child is patterned after the early Christian conception of how the infant God should appear.

Above the Madonna are the figures which represent the Holy Trinity. The Father, who is not easily distinguishable, is on the right; the Son is on the left; and the Holy Ghost, symbolized by the dove, is in the center. This arrangement is in accordance with the religious tradition of the Greek Orthodox Church.

On each of the portals are figures of bearded saints, who are all pictured in their holy vestments and have halos over their heads. Authorities have not as yet been able to identify the names of these saints.

The ikon was entirely plated with gold leaf, but this is gradually disappearing, destroying the original splendor of the relic but adding a new splendor - the splendor of time.

Twenty-five years ago George Stefanos, an eminent Greek archaeologist in Athens and one of the foremost authorities on Byzantine ikons in Greece, offered to purchase this ancient work of art from the Galineas household for a sum equivalent to three thousand dollars, but because of the sentiment attached to it and its supposedly miraculous powers, tales of which have been transmitted from generation to generation, the master of the house rejected Stefanos's offer.

The revival of interest in the Byzantine era which has been manifested by members of the Greek community of Chicago since the recent organization of the Byzantine Chorus has brought to public view numerous other relics. Gospels bound in silver studded with brilliant stones and brought to this country from Mount Athos, the holy mountain on which no female human being or female animal is permitted to exist because of an old monastic edict, are the property of the Church of the Annunciation.

The religious images, which are of wood intricately hand-carved, are also imported from Mount Athos. The top of the temple, which is entirely of carved wood and serves as a frame for the twelve Stations of the Cross,

was ordered from Greece when the church was under construction some twenty years ago.

An altar-piece which measures six by four feet, embroidered in gold, relief half an inch thick on a background of deep red velvet, is one of the most striking and elaborate possessions of the church.

The richly embroidered and enameled figures of this altar-piece represent Joseph placing the body of Jesus in the grave.

Its compositional form is the same as that of the early Christian sarcophage, on which eight figures are carved in bas-relief. Figures of angels, of the Madonna, and of disciples of Jesus are pictured standing reverently as Joseph is about to anoint the immaculate body of the Son of Man in aromatic spices. The figures of the Virgin Mary and of Jesus wear halos, which are studded with stones of various hues, adding brilliancy to the composition. The body of Jesus is shown inclined. His enameled nude fugure is in direct contrast to the rich color of the gold-embroidered patterns of the general design. The altar-cloth is edged with embroidery of the style of the ninth century A.D.

One of the examples of the recent revival of the Byzantine spirit among the Greeks of Chicago is the work done by the well-known singer, Mr. D. Papageorge, who has transcribed the entire musical text of the liturgy into the universal modern notation and has also organized the Byzantine Chorus, composed of young Greek singers who render Byzantine hymns under his direction. This has created quite an interest among the parishioners of Chicago Greek churches, who are daily unearthing Byzantine relics, their family heirlooms.

Every Sunday the imposing liturgy of the Church of the Annunciation is recited. The congregation watches intently the progress of the elaborate function. The candles are extinguished; the doors of the altar are opened; other doors are closed; the priest kisses the Holy Gospel, crosses his forehead, his lips, and his breast; the swaying censer fills the air with aromatic smoke; color and melody enliven the service; one procession follows another, and the ceremonial is significant and effective.

This is indeed a kaleidoscopic panorama - for the senses. The soul is another matter and is dealt with by the priest in his sermon.