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CHURCHES OF SANTORINI

There’s hardly anywhere on the island you will turn to and not see a church within eyesight. All the Agean islands are filled with churches and Santorini is no exception. On the island you will find no less than 250 churches-and in all sizes-from tiny ones as small as a room fitting very few people to quite large and elegant ones. Most have the same in common-they are clean, whitewashed and well worth a snap with your camera. Aghios Stefanos, on the summit of Mesa Vouno (Middle Mountain), is the oldest church on Santorini and its remains prove that Christianity came to the island as early as the fifty century. The church was built on the traces of a basilica dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel between the fourth and the fift century. Perhaps the most magnificent religious edifice in all the Cyclades is the cathedral located in Fira. There are a number of Byzantine churches on the island as well. At the feet of Profitis Ilias mountain is Kimisis tis Theotokou (The Assumption of the Virgin Mary) built during the rule of emperor Alexios I Comninos. It is also known as Panagia Episkopi. There are beautiful Byzantine icons and unique marble sculptures inside the church which should not be missed.

If you happen to be on the island on August 15^th you will witness a festival accompanying the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Thousands of worshipers from throughout Greece will come to the island to attend the religious services and the festival. On July 20^th, if you happen to be around, is another religious festival tied in with the old monastery of Profitis Ilias southeast of Fira. Here visitors will be invited to join in the celebrations of islanders and will be treated to a traditional meal of dried peas and onion soup, followed by folk dancing and singing well worth recording on your video camera. The monastery was built in 1712 on the peak mountain with the same name.

A Greek and a catholic nunnery are located on the island and worth a visit. In the village of Imerovigli you will find the Greek nunnery which was built in 1674 and named in honor of Aghios Nikolaos (St. Nick).

Outstanding in this nunnery are a number of portraits of bishops painted hundreds of year ago. Bishop Antonio constructed the catholic nunnery in 1596 and is also an attraction which should be included on one’s itinerary.

THE CHURCH OF EPISKOPI

Located in the village of Mesa Gonia is the beautiful Byzantine church of Panagia Episkopi well worth a visit. The church is considered the best example of traditional ecclesiastical architecture of the island by Mathios Mendrinos, author of the booklet “The Church of Episkopi in Santorini” which is distributed by the Ecclesiastical Committee of the church.

Mendrinos, who is a member of the G.P.P Academy of Rome, writes about the church: “To every Greek, either coming as a simple visitor or a faithful to pray, this church, inspires both a strong national and religious feeling. National for its history, religious for its sacracy. A great number of the treasures of the church such as liturgical and ecclesiastical books, priest’s vestments and holy vessels were destroyed by the 1915 fire. Only icons had come out safe from the catastrophe. It is said that a hand covered them by the fire and protected them from being burnt. It must have been the insible hand of the Virgin Mary”. The church has survived the invasions of Venetians, Francs, Russians and Turks and still remains as an insriration to the islanders. Panaghia Episkopi was built in 1115, but hat to withstand not only invasions and fires, but the tremendous earthquake of 1956. Any damages incurred by all these elements were quickly repaired by the faithful. The church is not only known for its ecclesiastical architecture. It is also admired for its remarkable Byzantine paintings and hagiography. A number of important icons can be seen in the church, although it bears to mention that 26 of the finest works were stolen in 1982 and never to be found.

August 15^th is the feast day of the church and after religious ceremonies, the islanders join in merrymaking with the visitors to Santorini with plenty of food, dancing and singing.

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