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Home Anna's Blog Road trip of temples, snakes and lilies – 15th August

Road trip of temples, snakes and lilies – 15th August

by Anna Votsi August 17, 2018
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One of the most important dates in the Eastern Orthodox calendar is 15th August – the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It’s a national holiday which sees events taking place all over the country to celebrate Mary ascending into heaven. Of course Kefalonia celebrates too, so Anna and I decided to visit some of the most important churches involved in the day’s events.

We started out mid-morning and drove from Agia Efimia through the beautiful valleys, villages and mountainsides towards the village of Pastra, located in the south of the island, close to Katelios. On the way there we passed through several villages packed with smartly dressed families attending church and preparing to spend the day off together. As we reached Pastra the roads became busier and busier with foreign and domestic coaches, who were spilling out religious pilgrims and tourists alike, for Pastra is famous for it’s miraculously resurrected lilies at the church of the Virgin Mary Gravaliotissa. The church steps were thronged with ladies in brightly coloured headscarves and dresses, men and children in their Sunday best, and priests all chatting excitedly.  As well as Greeks there were many foreign pilgrims, we think Ukranian, many of them were wearing traditional clothing. Inside the church it was very busy with people queuing to kiss the icon of the Virgin Mary and to receive a dried lily. Five months previous to this celebration parishioners from the local village take fresh lilies to the church on the day of the Annunciation where the flowers are left without water and gradually dry completely. The flowers are left this way until August 15th and when they are given water fresh buds appear and the lilies are miraculously resurrected. The priest performs a liturgy on the feast of the Assumption and the flowers are distributed amongst the parishioners. There was a sense of joy and happiness in the church, with the pilgrims obviously enjoying their experience.

Next we drove a few kilometres to Panagia Lagouvarda at Markopoulo to witness part of the snake festival. The bell tower at the side of the road stands on the original site but the temple is now located at the foot of a steep, paved walk way. The sun was very hot and there were many people walking the path back and forth. Fortunately there is a spring half way down where we could refresh ourselves. This celebration seemed busier than that of the one at Pastra, and continuing towards the church we passed through several stalls with monks selling religious artifacts, books and jewellery. There were also a few beggars and people selling candles. You could hear the chatter of people a few metres away from the church entrance, and the queue to visit the icon here was spilling out of the doorway. The church is renowned throughout the Orthodox world for the icon which depicts the Virgin Mary with small snakes. “Panagia Lagouvarda” is the name given to the image – Virgin of the Snakes – as these small snakes visit annually between 6th and 15th of August, and are collected up for the parishioners to touch, lay on their head and chests. The snakes here are kept in glass boxes inside the church. The appearance of the snakes has occurred every year apart from two – the year of the German occupation (1940) and the year of the devastating earthquake (1953) – and so have become synonymous with good luck. Some say they appear at the temple as it is on their migratory route whilst others believe that the snakes are a miraculous phenomenon and the submission of the snakes to the grace of the Virgin Mary is a miracle. Legend decrees that hundreds of years ago the nuns who lived on the site were terrorised by marauding pirates and they asked the Virgin Mary for protection, she responded and when the pirates reached the temple they were met by hundreds of hissing snakes and they ran away! We saw many of the pilgrims that had visited Pastra earlier on their religious tour.  We climbed back up onto the road and continued on our way.

Anna had received a call telling us that a less busy place to visit and to witness the miracle of the snakes was at the church of the Assumption of Virgin Mary at Arginia. Arginia is a small, very pretty settlement located higher up in the mountains above the south coast, and as we drove up the narrow winding road the views towards Zakynthos were outstanding. The village gardens were in wonderful and colourful bloom, the air was still and hot, and the absence of bus tours gave the place a sense of peace. The outside of the church is not terribly attractive but as we walked in our eyes were drawn to the large icon of the Vigin Mary, draped by a live, unrestricted, snake! We were invited to touch the snake and to pick it up. It was very calm and docile. The caretaker told us that the snakes appear around the village and they are collected and brought to the church. After the 15th of August they are set free back to the mountainside, to return again the next year. More visitors arrived, some were very keen to touch, kiss and talk to the snake, whilst others remained wary of it. Out of the three places we visited this was undoubtedly the least busy, and because of it’s location and peacefulness was my favourite.

We spent a very interesting and pleasant day investigating the churches and their stories of miracles. If you get the opportunity to be on the island on the 15th August be sure to visit one or all of them, whether or not your are religious it is a very traditional and joyful day!
By Sarah O.

Monasteries - ChurchesReligious celebrationsSnakes
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Kefalonia by Anna
  • Home
    • Who we are
    • Kefalonia by Anna services
  • Explore
    • Travel Guides
      • Kefalonia
      • Argostoli (Central)
      • Paliki (West)
      • Livathos (South)
      • Pylaros (North-Central)
      • Ainos Mountain & Omala
      • Sami (East)
      • Elios Pronnoi (South East)
      • Erissos (North)
    • Explore Kefalonia by map
    • Short History
    • Useful Info & FAQs
    • More tips
  • Accommodation
    • Villas
    • Houses, apartments, rooms and camping
  • Itineraries
    • Book an Experience in Kefalonia
    • Self-Guided Tours
    • Excursions beyond Kefalonia
  • Things to do
    • Boats & Yachts
    • Sports
    • Walking, Riding & Cycling
    • Festivals, Events & Workshops
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    • Other
  • Attractions
    • Beaches Churches & Monasteries Flora and Fauna Historical Sights Museums Natural Sights Villages All
      Attractions of Kefalonia

      Mounda and Kaminia Beaches

      October 5, 2019

      Attractions of Kefalonia

      Ammes Beach

      May 7, 2019

      Attractions of Kefalonia

      Ai Helis Beach, Svoronata

      October 3, 2018

      Attractions of Kefalonia

      Porto Atheras Beach, Paliki Peninsula

      September 24, 2018

      Churches & Monasteries

      The Monastery of the Holy Virgin, Lamia

      September 30, 2020

      Churches & Monasteries

      Virgin Mary Drapaniotissa Celebrations

      September 23, 2019

      Churches & Monasteries

      Saint Gerasimos Cave, Lassi

      May 7, 2019

      Churches & Monasteries

      St. John Chrysostom little church at Vari, Erissos

      September 16, 2018

      Flora and Fauna

      Fauna in Kefalonia

      March 23, 2020

      Flora and Fauna

      Flora in Kefalonia

      February 25, 2020

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      Megas Soros, the highest peak of the Ionian…

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      Semi-Wild Horses of Ainos

      February 3, 2020

      Historical Sights

      Harakas Bridge, Myrtos

      March 3, 2020

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      Exhibition at Fiskardo’s renovated Venetian Lighthouse – “Faros”

      September 13, 2019

      Historical Sights

      Nikos Kavadias Statue, Argostoli

      June 7, 2019

      Historical Sights

      Lithostroto and Bell Tower Square (Kabana)

      June 6, 2019

      Museums

      Memas Kalogiratos Permanent Sculpture Exhibition, Mazarakata

      February 29, 2020

      Museums

      Embroideries, lace and needlework – Harokopio Foundation

      November 24, 2019

      Museums

      Kotsanas Museum Of Ancient Greek Technology, Argostoli

      June 16, 2019

      Museums

      Lithostroto and Bell Tower Square (Kabana)

      June 6, 2019

      Natural Sights

      Megas Soros, the highest peak of the Ionian…

      February 23, 2020

      Natural Sights

      Vista Points

      January 28, 2020

      Natural Sights

      Sea Turtles

      November 5, 2019

      Natural Sights

      Melissani Lake

      October 7, 2018

      Villages

      Makriotika Village

      May 2, 2019

      Villages

      Colourful Villages of Livathos

      May 3, 2018

      Villages

      Old Farsa Village, Argostoli

      February 19, 2018

      Villages

      Old Vlachata Village, Sami

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      The Monastery of the Holy Virgin, Lamia

      September 30, 2020

      Attractions of Kefalonia

      Fauna in Kefalonia

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      March 3, 2020

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  • Food & Local Products
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  • Blogs
    • Anna’s Blog

      My rock & me

      April 25, 2022

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