- Orthodox Christianity: The city's religious leadership was influential, and pilgrimage to the Church of Hagios Demetrios was common.
- Jewish Life: The Jewish community maintained synagogues, schools, and cemeteries. They preserved traditions while integrating aspects of Byzantine culture.
- Interfaith Relations: While there was coexistence, tensions sometimes arose, especially with the approaching Ottoman conquest, which threatened to alter the city's religious and political balance.
Daily Life and Social Customs
Travelers in Thessaloniki would witness a lively urban environment with crowded streets, bazaars, and taverns. People wore typical Byzantine clothing — tunics, cloaks, and headdresses — with wealthier citizens displaying fine fabrics.
- Food: The diet consisted of bread, olives, cheese, fish, and wine. Taverns served local delicacies, and markets overflowed with fresh produce.
- Entertainment: Music, dance, and storytelling were popular pastimes. The city had public squares where musicians and performers entertained crowds.
- Education and Scholarship: Thessaloniki had some schools and was a place where Greek classical texts were studied, especially as the Byzantine Renaissance took hold in the late medieval period. shutdown123