Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I would like to thank my Ph.D. advisor, Michele Bacci, for entrusting me with the research that produced the present book, a revised version of my Ph.D. thesis of the same title defended in 2019 at the University of Fribourg. From 2014 on, he has supported all aspects of my work and has been a constant source of invaluable and knowledgeable input.
I am equally thankful to Maria Vassilaki for her uninterrupted, generous help. From the time of completing my MA thesis at the University of Thessaly and ever since, she has encouraged and provided me with ample resources and inspiration on Byzantine and Post-Byzantine art; I also thank her for agreeing to be my external Ph.D. examiner.
The harmonious collaboration among the team members of our research project at the University of Fribourg ensured the sound structure of our effort, for which I wish to thank Argyri Dermitzaki, Vesna Scepanovic, Gianvito Campobasso, and Angela Schiffhauer. Argyri and Vesna, both preparing their theses along with mine, offered companionship on what is by nature a solitary path.
My deepest thanks go to Anthony Luttrell, whom I was fortunate to meet during my first trip to Malta in 2016, at the National Library in Valletta. Not only did he provide me with plentiful information and references concerning the Hospitallers at Rhodes, but he also generously dedicated much valuable time to reading the largest part of my manuscript.
The Ephorate of Antiquities of the Dodecanese always welcomed my various requests at Rhodes, during my visits to its library and archives, and from afar; I would especially like to thank Konstantia Kefala, Katerina Manoussou-Ntella, and Giorgos Ntellas for their generous assistance.
My trip to Malta in 2016 was a vital part of my research. I wish to thank Mario Buhagiar for his indispensable guidance and for sharing his deep knowledge of the Knights’ art and traditions during the short time we were able to converse. Likewise, Maroma Camilleri at the National Library of Malta and Charlene Vella, Emanuel Buttigieg, and Keith Sciberras at the University of Malta were obliging. I wish to acknowledge in particular Fr. John Azzopardi at the Archives of the Metropolitan Cathedral, Mdina, for guiding me through the archives and for permission to take photographs, as well as Mario Gauci; for photo permission, I am also thankful to Fr. Edgar Vella, curator of the Metropolitan Cathedral Museum, Mdina.
In Athens, the Gennadius Library and the libraries of the Benaki Museum and the British School at Athens provided an ideal environment for research. I also profited greatly from a short stay at the Hellenic Institute for Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies in Venice.
During my MA course at the University of Thessaly, Dimitris J. Kyrtatas fostered my interest in studies on Christianity and Late Antique history, as well as on the themes of travels, peregrinations, and pilgrimage. His seminars and his exceptional supervision of my MA thesis were vital for the development of my skills in historical research.
For dedicating time to the discussion of ideas, comments, and specific questions and translations, I thank Nikos Livanos, Grigoris Apostolidis, Ioanna Christoforaki, Thomas Kaffenberger, Alexandre Varela, Stefan Matter, Alessandro Diana, and Simon Phillips.
The publication of this book was made possible through the sponsorship of the Swiss National Science Foundation. I would like to thank the Mediterranean Art Histories [MAH] editors, Hannah Baader, Michele Bacci, and Gerhard Wolf, for including this volume in the series, as well as Teddi Dols, the Brill Editor/Editor Middle East and Islamic Studies in charge of the series, and Dirk Bakker, Production Editor. I appreciate the help of Alexandra Pel with editing the manuscript and preparing it for publication.
I also wish to thank most sincerely Béatrice and Michel Bavarel and Florian de Lehner for their generosity and kind hospitality in Fribourg. Last but not least, I am thankful to my parents for encouraging my wishes to pursue my studies from an early age. And most of all, to my husband, Panagiotis, for his support and patience throughout the years.