The early Christian basilica of Halinadou is located in the homonymous location of the rural district of the community of Agia Paraskevi. The basilica was probably the catholicon of a small monastery, as can be seen from the remains of the walls of the cells preserved on its southern side. Architectural members from the early Christian basilica are found in the ruins of two nearby post-Byzantine churches.
We have no historical evidence for the foundation of the basilica, however, based on the stylistic characteristics of its form and the decoration of its capitals, we can place its construction in the second half of the 6th century. A.D. This dating is also supported by the discovery of a bronze coin from the time of Tiberius of Mauritius (567-8 A.D.). The basilica of Halinados belongs to the type of three-aisled, wooden-roofed basilica with a narthex. The main temple has an approximately square shape in plan view. To the east, the projecting semicircular arch of the sanctuary dominates. To the west is attached the narthex, 5.96 m wide, which protrudes from the body of the temple on the south side. Openings are created on the north side and another one on the south side. The church had a wooden roof, but the arch of the sanctuary was exceptionally covered with a built dome (quarter-shaped), as can be deduced from the great thickness of its walls.
Two sides w consisting of two pilasters and five columns each divide the main temple into three aisles, of which the middle one is wider than the sides. The columns are placed on a tall pilaster, 0.50 m high, as is customary in other early Christian basilicas of Lesvos (Ypsilometopos, Afendelli). The columns consist of a base, body and capitals and are monolithic and jointed, made of domestic red limestone. The bases of the columns are formed with a square plinth and a chamfered member replacing the ancient spiral. The capitals show the form common to early Christian monuments, of the Ionic type with a suffix, and are characterized by negligence in terms of construction. The columns had semicircular arches of 2 m in diameter made of wedge-shaped porolith. A decorative stone band surrounded the temple and the quadrant of the arch at the height of his birth.
The arche formed a built-in choir and immediately in front of the sanctuary was placed the Holy Table. From the Holy Bank.
Sculptures found during the excavation of the middle aisle come from the pulpit of the temple. Its form was the usual one in early Christian times of a circular body with two ascending scales. The floor of the temple was paved with large slabs, of which those of the south aisle are preserved in good condition.
The temple was excavated in 1937 and partially restored by A. Orlandos at the expense of the Ministry of Religion and National Education and the community of Agia Paraskevi.
