Dormition of the Virgin on about. Kefalonia and Religious Procession with the relics of St. Spyridon of Trimifuntsky in Corfu

In the eastern part of Kefalonia (Island in the Ionian Sea), not far from the village of Markopoulo, there is a small church in honor of the Assumption Holy Mother of God... Here, for many years, something unusual has happened every year on the feast of the Assumption. From the Transfiguration, snakes appear inside and outside the temple. Locals call them the serpents of the Most Holy Theotokos.

Earlier, in previous years, the number of snakes increased every day, and on the eve of the Assumption, they filled the entire district. These days, the inhabitants of Markopoulo walk along the ravine, on the slope of which there is a church, and collect snakes to bring them to the Most Holy Theotokos. Where snakes appear from and where they disappear after the holiday, no one knows. For all this remains a great secret to this day.

The Dormition of the Theotokos is called the second Easter here. August is the month of the Virgin. The inhabitants of the village of Marcupolo, of whom there are no more than 30, help in the temple in the morning. In the queue, pilgrims from all over the world who want to see the miracle barely fit in a small square near the church.
During the all-night vigil, snakes crawl freely among people - on stasidia, analogions, without fear of anyone. “If a snake gets in your bosom,” the villagers warn pilgrims or tourists, “don't be afraid! By the grace of the Most Holy Lady of the Theotokos, the snakes will not harm you in any way. Take them in your hands, and they, like kittens, will lick your fingers.
Indeed, incredible things happen during the service: snakes, like bracelets, twine around the hands of believers, crawl over the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos and the Crucifixion, over the loaves prepared for lithium. The snake can even crawl onto the Gospel, which is read at the Liturgy. Snakes, as representatives of the animal kingdom, celebrate together with Christians, reminding them of the Garden of Eden, in which primordial people lived with animals as a single family. At the end of the holiday, the snakes also leave.
German scientists studied these snakes, but they could not be attributed to any of the known species. They are gray in color, thin. In length, they do not exceed one meter, their skin is velvet. They have a cross on their heads, as well as on the tip of their tongues.
If in any of the years snakes did not appear, it was always a bad omen. This was the case in 1940 and 1953, when strong earthquakes hit the island.

The island of Kefalonia is called "the island of miracles", since it is here that miracles, known throughout the Orthodox world, take place on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this day, poisonous snakes miraculously creep into the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos to her miraculous icon Panagia Fedusa, in the village of Markopulo, to glorify the Mother of God together with all the believers.
Every year, on the eve of the Dormition of the Mother of God, a small earthquake (3-4 points) occurs on the island, and on the very day of the holiday it rains, which is very rare here at this time of the year. But this is not yet the main miracle, but its harbinger. On the day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos, the Kefalonians bring white lilies to the temple, similar to the one with which the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Her. These flowers are put into the icon case of the Panagia-Krini icon of the Mother of God, where they remain without water until the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin. And here a marvelous thing happens: on the dry, cracked from the heat, the stems of the lilies, delicate white flowers bloom - and this is five months after they were cut! On the feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God, after the Liturgy, a prayer service is served in the church, flowers are consecrated and distributed to believers who come to the church that day. These dry stalks of lilies are like our souls, withered from disbelief and doubt. The snow-white flower reminds us, as it were, that nothing is impossible for God and that our soul, mired in sins, can also blossom and be illuminated by the grace of God.
It should be noted that lilies are biblical flowers. In the Gospel of Matthew, the Lord Himself testifies to this: “Look at the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you that Solomon, in all his glory, did not dress like every one of them ”(Matthew 6:29).
And in another temple on this day, at Her miraculous icon Panagia Crini - on the dried stalks of flowers that believers bring to the Annunciation holiday, living lilies bloom again. In one of the monasteries on this island, the right foot of the holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called is kept.
Pilgrims also visit the monastery of St. Gerasimos of Kefalonia, who asceticised on the island in the 16th century. This saint is the heavenly patron of not only the island of Kefalonia itself, but all the Ionian Islands. The veneration of Saint Gerasimus can be compared with the veneration of Saint Seraphim of Sarov both in Russia and in Greece.

Kefalonia is the most big Island Ionian Sea, has an area of ​​737 sq. km, is located between the islands of Zakynthos and Lefkada. Kefalonia is the first destination on the route to Italy, and, accordingly, has always interested those travelers who want to follow the path of the legendary Odysseus, as well as just get acquainted with the beauties of the Aegean Sea. The island seems to rise from the sea, gradually appearing on the horizon. First, the traveler sees the Aenos mountain range, surrounded by black pine trees, and then the island itself appears - endless bays and luxurious beaches surrounded by the dark blue waters of the Aegean Sea. It is an island full of secrets, contrasts and surprises emanating from its geological structure and the peculiar nature of its inhabitants. The inhabitants of Kefalonia travel a lot, they are strong, active and practical people, combining gentleness and rudeness, courtesy and daring humor, they are very hospitable people, the one who once won their favor will always feel at home here.

Argostili - the capital of the island - modern city with a rich cultural heritage. Among the most significant geological phenomena is Melissani Cave, an underground lake with wild pigeons flying out from there as soon as the sun's rays penetrate through wide openings. Another attraction is the Drogarati Cave with red stalagmites and stalactites. A strange sight can be seen in Argostili - this is the cave of Agii Theodori, where huge amounts of sea water come out to the ground and disappear into the earth's crevices in order to reappear, having walked 17 km underground, in Sami in Lake Melissani. In the north of the island, in Paliki, there is another interesting phenomenon - Kunopetra - a rhythmically swaying rock ...
Flowers and fruit trees cover the island, filling it with exceptional scents. Many birds live here: ducks, herons and swans, which usually nest in Livadi Bay in Lixouri and in Kutavas Lagoon in Argostili. The famous Caretta-Caretta turtle lays its eggs on the southern coast of the island, and Mediterranean seals live in the northern cliffs.

History.

Kefalonia, as well as Ithaca, Zakynthos and Lefkada, flourished in the Mycenaean period, when the inhabitants of these islands were actively traveling. In the classical era, Kefalonia was divided into 4 administrative districts(today it is Krani, Sami, Pali and Prony) named after the four sons of the hero Kefalos, whose name the island began to bear. During the Dorian period, wars continued, with the result that many fortifications were erected on the island. During the Byzantine period, exorbitant taxes were imposed on the inhabitants of the island, and at the same time, the island was constantly attacked by pirates. During the Norman conquest, Kefalonia was designated the administrative center. After the French and Venetian occupation, the island was taken over by the Turks, which led to terrible destruction. The Venetian domination was characterized by the emergence of class differences, which was an important milestone in the history of the island from 1500. From that time until 1797, Kefalonia became an important strategic point for the Venetian fleet. In 1757 the capital was moved to the city of Agostili. Since then, the island passed to the French, who were greeted here as liberators. Despite the unrest and conquest of the island, Kefalonia began to develop rapidly economically and intellectually. After some time, Kefalonia went to the Turks. British rule was established in 1809. The famous Drapanos stone bridge connecting Argostili to the opposite bank was built in 1813. In 1815, an agreement was signed, according to which the island passed under British protection. Kefalonia, along with some other Ionian islands, was annexed to Greece in 1864. Over time, after numerous conquests, the Ionian Islands have accumulated a huge historical heritage, after which many historians began to call them the "Civilization of the Seven Islands". This fact has left an imprint on the characters of the people living on these islands.

Kefalonia is the island of St. the apostle Paul! In 59, a Roman ship carried St. the Apostle Paul from Caesarea to Rome for judgment, on the way they were overtaken by a storm near Malta, where St. the apostle stayed three months. At this point, we should linger and draw our attention.
On about. Kefalonia there are two churches, from the Byzantine period, in honor of St. the apostle Paul! (according to the Greek tradition, temples and monasteries have several names 1 - official - canonical, 2 - folk in honor of some historical event, also the popular name tends to change over time) despite their many centuries of history, the temples have never changed their original name , and also in western Greece, these are the only ancient temples in honor of St. the apostle Paul. The very location of the temples on the island speaks volumes! One temple is located in Pessada, the place where the apostle's preaching center was, the second temple is located on the site where in ancient times there was a port from which ships went to modern Italy.
The Synod of the Church of Greece in 2000 officially ranked the Church of Kefalonia among the number of churches founded by St. by the apostle Paul.

On Kefalonia, the Grace of God and piety have never stopped since apostolic times: an example of this is the multitude of temples and holy monasteries, in which miracles and inexplicable phenomena occur for today's science!

Monastery of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or Fidetis.

In the east of Kefalonia there is a small nunnery, its appearance is associated with the miracle of finding the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. Once the inhabitants of the nearest village saw that a forest was burning in close proximity from them. When the alarmed residents came to fight the fire, they saw only one burnt tree. And under it were the icons of the Most Holy Theotokos, absolutely untouched by fire. With great reverence they endured St. the image to his village church, but the next morning the icon was not in it. She was found again in the same place under a burnt tree, after a while a temple was built there, and cells began to appear near it, and so a nunnery was formed!
Many miracles happened from St. image, but the most impressive of everyone, both a believer and a non-believer, is the miracle associated with snakes! The nuns of the monastery, seeing the approaching danger in the face of pirates who wanted to rob and abuse the defenseless nuns, then the sisters of St. the monasteries in a prayer petition turned to their Intercessor of the Most Holy Theotokos, the pirates, approaching the monastery, stumbled upon the formidable defenders of the monastery - they were snakes! Until today, snakes appear in the monastery every year on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos. No one knows where they hide all year round, where they crawl out from and where they go later, they crawl everywhere and even on the pilgrims who have come. As the locals say, these are the snakes of the Most Holy Theotokos, and if they crawl on you do not be afraid! You can take them in your hands, and they will lick your hands like kittens! Thus, every year the Most Holy Theotokos glorifies Her monastery and the humble nuns!

Monastery of the Blessed Virgin Mary Koronatu or Dakrigousas.

At the end of the 15th century, the noble bloods Leon Policalas moved from the Peloponnese to the Koroni region, to Kefalonia. He brought with him an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, which was left with honors in the temple for universal worship, and she was there until a strong earthquake destroyed the temple. A century later, a shepherd from a nearby settlement miraculously found St. an icon hanging from a tree in a dazzling light!
Several times the image of the Most Holy Theotokos disappeared from his house and ended up at the place of finding, after which the shepherd had to tell his fellow villagers about what had happened, and after a while a temple was built on this place again!
Gradually, over time, monastic cells began to appear near the temple, thanks to the efforts and cares of the nuns, the monastery turned into an oasis of the soul and spirit!
The monastery celebrates three times:
August 15 - Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos,
January 23 - Blessed Virgin Mary Coronata or Dakrigusas, rescue of the monastery from the 1967 earthquake
July 2 - The Blachernae Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos (the icon of the Theotokos of the Robe of Issaiah) The Athos charter is preserved in the monastery.

Holy abode of Kipureon

The place where the present monastery stands has always been holy; hermit monks asceticised here. If you direct your feet here, you will understand why! The nature of this place itself makes you think about eternity. The church in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos was built in 1759, at the time of its heyday the brethren numbered 80 people. Unfortunately, the history of the monastery of the 20th century is very tragic, so by mistake in 1915 the monastery was fired upon by a French cruiser, causing enormous destruction. The earthquake of 1953 destroyed almost all buildings. But despite this, in 1964 the temple was restored, and in the 90s the buildings were rebuilt.
The holy monastery houses great Orthodox shrines, the heads of the founders of the monastery of St. Chrysanthus, St. Constantine and St. Euphrosynus, the miraculous icon of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos near which everyone who asks receives the Blessing of the Theotokos, a particle of the Holy Cross - which was donated to the monastery by Vladimir Dolgoruky in 1862. The glass vessel contains myrrh with the relics of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki, the miraculous icon of St. Paraskeva, and particles of the holy saints of God!

Holy abode of the Most Holy Theotokos Sission.
The monastery was founded in the 13th century by Francis of Assisi.
Initially, the monastery was subordinate to the Latin bishopric of the island of Kefalonia. During the Middle Ages, Orthodox monks also appeared in the monastery, in subsequent centuries the monastery became completely Orthodox. The monastery houses the wonderworking icon of the Most Holy Theotokos Sission of the 15th century. The altar icons of the temple represent a great cultural heritage of the region.

Temple of the Entry of the Most Holy Theotokos to the Temple
The gilded dome is not a single sight; a coffin and a particle of the relics of St. Martyr Patriarch Gregory 5 of Constantinople, who was hanged by the Turks on April 10, 1821 on the greatest Easter holiday, at the gates of the church, which remain closed to this day in memory of St. patriarch. A quiet and cozy temple disposes those who have come to prayer contemplation.

Church of St. Paraskeva, Compound of the Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos Koronatu or Dakrigusas.
At the temple there are cells for the nuns of the monastery. The miraculous icon of St. Paraskeva, a huge collection of particles of relics, also the relics of the newly appeared Saint Panagus 1801 - 1888. Nun Agathia worked very hard collecting everything that related to the saint, and when there was a meeting on the glorification of the saints, the materials collected by Nun Agathia greatly accelerated this process.

Monastery - Saint Gerasimos

From the first centuries of Christianity near Mount Omalon in a beautiful valley there existed a monastery with the name of Holy Jerusalem, during the Middle Ages it ceased to exist, which was the reason we do not know. But the Lord does not leave the places where the righteous served Him, so in 1560 the monk Gerasimos came here. He came from a noble Byzantine family that was related to the Palaeologus family. After St. Gerasimos received higher education at that time, he went to Constantinople, to Athos, Crete and to the island of Zakynthos. After his journey, St. Gerasimos came to the island of Kefalonia in the Lassis region in 1555 and asceticised in a cave, which today has a small temple. After 5 years, the Lord brought His saint to the site of the former ancient monastery, so that the place would be glorified again and the Grace of God would spread. Here St. Gerasimos not only saved his soul, but also taught people to preserve Orthodoxy from the violence of Catholic rule on the island, taught children to read and write, planting plane trees and caring for the place.
In 1579 Saint Gerasimos passed away to the Lord, and in 1622 the Patriarchal Synod glorified him as a saint.
In the monastery church, the relics of the saint are kept, at which frequent miracles occur.
From the monastery there is an entrance to the cave where St. Gerasimos. Anyone can enter there, but the entrance is very narrow, you have to literally crawl through it. It is here that a miracle happens: anyone who wants to can fit in the passage, and no one has yet gotten dirty from earth and dust at the entrance to the cave.

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In Greece, the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos is celebrated almost as widely as Easter. In the center of the celebrations is the island of Tinos, and its miraculous icon of the Mother of God "Tinos": miraculous healings, salvos from ship cannons, flowers and flags, military bands and religious processions

Temple Book

Under the numerous gifts that the faithful have adorned the icon with in gratitude for miracles, it is difficult to discern the plot of the icon - the appearance of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary with the good news. Nevertheless, every year on the feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, thousands of people flock to the Greek island of Tinos to make their knees from the port to the temple and touch the miraculous icon. Probably the very first miracle was the miraculous finding of the icon, after which the plague stopped on the island. And today, numerous pilgrims ask to be healed, repent, or bring their gifts, called "tama", in gratitude for the miracle. I will say right away - I personally did not manage to witness someone's miraculous healing, but I managed to get acquainted with the book of records of miracles at the Annunciation Church. This book contains, for example, the entry of the Mayor of Athens Spyros Merkuris dated February 7, 1914. The mayor went to the island, suffering from persistent bleeding after a botched surgery in Vienna. At night, a woman appeared to Spyros and told the patient to calm down, because he would be saved from suffering. A week later, the mayor returned to Athens completely healthy. In gratitude for the healing Spyros Merkuris presented a lamp to the temple. In general, the entire temple is an open "book of miracles." So a ship with a gold fish is attached to one of the icon lamps. This lamp was presented to the temple in 1850 by the crew of an unknown ship. During the storm, the ship received a hole below the waterline and began to sink. Frightened to death, the sailors turned with prayer to the Blessed Virgin, and were saved. The miraculous escape was explained when the ship arrived at the port. It turned out that a huge fish covered the hole in the hull. And to the right of the entrance is a silver orange tree decorated with golden fruits. This is the gift of the blind Greek George Lambraki. Hearing about healings through prayers in front of the miraculous icon, the Greek asked "Blessed Virgin, give me back my sight, and I will bring you the first thing I see as a gift." George regained his sight, and the first thing he saw was an orange tree in his garden. Then he ordered a silver tree from a jeweler, and presented it as a gift in 1927. Even the churchyard itself is decorated with marble funded by the Turk, Mustafa Aga Kutahiji, a Turkish officer serving in Crete who was healed of paralysis in 1845.

Donation by check

It is worth noting that the Annunciation Church is also known for its charitable activities. The temple has an elected Stewardship Commission that manages all donations. The Commission is chaired by the Metropolitan of Syros and Tinos, the rest of the members are laymen. Formally, the commission belongs to the Ministry of Education and Religion, to which it reports its expenses, each donor receives a check. Moreover, all the sacraments and services in the temple are performed free of charge. Even during the construction of the temple, in 1827, the temple allocated part of the donated money for social needs: the construction of a port on the island and the first general education schools... It is known that during the Greek War of Liberation, the temple donated all available gold items for the creation of the navy and the University of Athens. When there was no pension provision in Greece, the Commission paid pensions to priests and teachers who were unable to work for health reasons. The church funds on Tinos were used to arrange water supply and electric lighting, the road from the port to the temple was paved with marble, and a hospital was built. The commission still pays for expensive surgeries, emergency needs of hospitals, hemodialysis, built and maintains a 45-bed nursing home, a summer kindergarten. In addition, the commission maintains a house of arts with a brass band, schools of Byzantine singing and icon painting. Grants for training and awards for the best students are awarded annually. Individuals are provided with one-time or permanent assistance. Now the Commission supports about 300 poor families by paying their utility bills and bank loans. The church hotel accepts pilgrims free of charge (with a population of about 30 thousand, the island receives about a million people a year). Most of them come to take part in the Mother of God celebrations. The most solemn of these is the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, which the Greeks celebrate on 15 August.

In the morning, in front of the temple, cadets of the naval cadet school - junior officers - line up as a guard of honor. This honor is given to the best in their studies and combat training.

The leadership of the Navy lays wreaths at the monument to the battleship Ellie, which was sunk in Tinos port by a fascist submarine

The history of the icon of the Mother of God "Tinos" is closely connected with the national liberation movement of the Greeks

The miraculous acquisition of the icon coincided with the beginning of the liberation uprising, and its leaders considered it a duty to worship the shrine.

Every year, not only naval officers but also representatives of the Greek government are present at the festive divine service. This year, the representative was the Minister of Foreign Affairs. It's quite difficult to squeeze into the temple

During the service and the laying of wreaths, the guard waits patiently at the entrance to the temple

The solemn procession leaves the church, the icon is placed on a stretcher carried by officers

The procession goes from the church on the way to the square on the port embankment

With the help of naval officers, the wide rope of the crowd is turned into a narrow human thread and threaded into the eye of a needle between the ground and a stretcher with an icon

Everyone passing under the icon tries to touch it with his hand or attach some object to the icon

In general, the organization of the process resembles a visit to Moscow by the belt of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The procession is accompanied by the hooting of Africans, accustomed to the vivid expression of their feelings.

Africans follow the procession of the group, sing songs and clap their hands

In the center of the procession, the Metropolitan of Tinos and Syros with bishops and officials

Two military bands march before the procession

Orchestras take turns

The orchestras finally meet in the harbor square, and the conductors have an opportunity to talk

Two warships are also moored here. During the procession, they give long beeps and shoot from ship guns

The square is cordoned off and guarded, but symbolically enough. If desired, both spectators and photographers can move freely

Many spectators gather on the surrounding rooftops. Hospitable Greeks open the doors of their entrances and apartments so that people can climb higher

In many homes, welcoming hosts offer casual guests coffee, water, sweets, or a shot of aniseed

The salvoes of warships and armed sailors delight the little shrinemen

After a prayer service on the square and a solemn speech of the first persons, the procession returns to the church in the same order.

People who did not manage to pass under the icon gather under the stairs, along which the icon will be carried.

At this time, the celebration begins in the city, numerous guests and primarily gypsies occupy all the tables in the cafe

Guests from Africa with an umbrella upholstered in church fabric with crosses. Icons are sewn along the perimeter of the umbrella

The celebrations continue in the evening. When a religious procession passes by their table, the pious Greeks postpone the meal and take the form appropriate to the situation.

Kirill MILOVIDOV

Dormition of the Virgin- This is one of the most important religious holidays in Greece, in scale and splendor not inferior to either Christmas or even Easter. "Kimisi tis Theotoku", or "Decapentavgustos" as it is called in Greece, is celebrated August 15 in every church of the Virgin, whether in the center or in the most remote and small village in the north of Greece, and even on islets with a permanent population of no more than 50 people!

In general, in Greece, the churches and temples of the Virgin Mary are the most common of all, and therefore this holiday is treated here with special trepidation and respect.

In general, yes, in general, the scenario of the celebration is the same everywhere, although each church, of course, has its own characteristics and traditions.

So, from 1 to 15 August in Greece is big post, - in this way the Greeks show their devotion to the Mother of God and prepare themselves for a magnificent celebration ... On the day of the Assumption of the Virgin thousands of Greeks go to churches and temples to receive communion at the icon, take part in the procession of the cross and defend the church service. Traditionally, after the service, all the fun begins - a big holiday " panigiri».

Panigiri Is something like a one-day festival of folk customs and traditions of Greece. Concerts, fairs with national dishes, theatrical performances, games, dances and songs are held on the streets of every village and city - people walk to the fullest until the morning. At night, the sky is lit up with bright fireworks, the streets and houses are decorated with hundreds of candles and garlands, the music does not stop until the morning. In villages, fires are often burned or theatrical scenes on biblical themes are performed.

The most magnificent celebrations 15 August held in Cycladic island, where, along with traditional rituals and services, a kneeling procession is carried out from the center of the island's capital to the Church of the Virgin (Annunciation). Hundreds of Greeks from all over the country come to take part in the celebration on Tinos.

Tinos is followed by Island with the Ekatontapiliani temple in the port of Parikia with a noisy fair, music, dancing and island wine. And in the evening, dozens of boats with lighted torches and festive fireworks illuminate the bay of the village of Naousa.

A big holiday takes place on island... True, it starts not on August 15, but on August 19 and lasts for 6 whole days. During this period, the Faneromenis Monastery is visited by hundreds of pilgrims from all over Greece, simply watching the holiday, or helping in organizing events and festivals.

Others important places to celebrate The Dormition of the Theotokos are the temple of Panagia Sumela in, the Holy Monastery of the Virgin in village Castagna at the foot of Mount Vermio, temples of the Virgin in, villages, regions and in the north of Greece.

Concerning Greek islands, then you should definitely visit the temple of the Virgin in the village of Ayaso na, the village of Olympos on

August 15 in Greece - The Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos - one of the three largest holidays of Greek Orthodoxy, celebrated everywhere and having the richest centuries-old traditions. This day is called "Summer Easter" here.

Much has already been written about this bright holidays, and about the miracles that accompany it, but nevertheless, there remains a lot that is not told, surprising and unknown.
In the history of any state, there are facts that at one time, for various political or other reasons, tried to silence and cover up, and then they were lost in an avalanche of events that followed, much larger and more catastrophic.

So, in Greece, everyone, young and old, knows that their country entered II world war October 28, 1940 - the famous day "Οχι", now celebrated as a public holiday, when the ruler of Hellas, Ioannis Metaxas, resolutely refused the terms of the Italian ultimatum.

But, I think, even for some of the Hellenes, especially the young, it may become a revelation that the events of the Second World War, which was already in full swing in Europe, reached Greece much earlier, namely on August 15, the same 1940.

By this time, Italy, an ally of Nazi Germany, already dominated the Mediterranean, and the "queen of the seas" traditionally dominated in this region, Britain, which daily experienced devastating German air raids on its territory, fearing an amphibious assault, kept most fleet closer to their native shores and could not resist the Italians here.
The Greek navy was then in its infancy, was very small in number and, carrying out only border patrols of its coasts, could not pose any practical threat.

Nevertheless, a prominent member of the Fascist Party of Italy, the governor and commander-in-chief of the operation in this region, Cesare Maria de Vechi, with the knowledge of Benito Mussolini, gives the commander of the Italian submarine "Delfino" G. Aicardi a secret order to secretly attack any ships in the area of ​​the Greek islands of Tinos. Syros, Leros with further blocking of the passage of ships through the Corinth Canal.

On August 14, "Delfino" left the naval base on Leros, and by the morning of the 15th, secretly approached the port of Tinos, a place deeply revered by all Orthodox Christians of the country for the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary "Megalohari".

Initially, the submarine commander had an intention to attack the passenger ships "Elsie" and "Esperos", going with numerous pilgrims to the island to celebrate the Assumption of the Virgin. Such an attack could lead to huge casualties among the civilian population, but Aikardi saw through the periscope the Greek light cruiser "Ellie" arriving at the port of Tinos, which also came to the island to celebrate the Great Day of the Virgin Mary. The halo of a major military victory prevailed over the joy of easy prey in the head of the Italian captain.
And on the embankment a procession was already gathering with the miraculous icon of the Virgin for the procession.

At 8:25 am, the boat fired three torpedoes in the direction of the cruiser, one of which hit the target, and the other two exploded on the embankment. On the Greek cruiser, fuel tanks caught fire and, despite all the efforts of the crew, he sank an hour later. As a result of this attack, 9 Greek sailors were killed and 24 people were injured.
On the shore, except for one dead woman, there were no other victims.

"Delfino" immediately secretly headed to Syros, but not finding worthy targets there, he went home, and soon the secret mission of the submarine was canceled by the Italian authorities due to fear of an international scandal, because Greece at that time still retained neutrality and participation in hostilities did not accept.
Much later, the blame for this attack was blamed on the commander-in-chief of the Italians, de Vechi, accusing him of an unauthorized order.

Nevertheless, even then, despite all the secrecy of the attack, Greek divers established that the torpedo belonged to an Italian submarine. But the government of I. Metaxas also preferred to keep this secret in the strictest confidence out of fear of a military response from Italy and violation of its neutrality.
And in the Greek press, this information was published only on October 30, 1940, two days after that very day "Οχι". Thus, it was not possible to avoid participation in the war of Greece, even hiding the fact of the attack.

In 1950, as reparations for losing the war, Italy gave Greece its light cruiser "Prince Eugene of Savoy", which was renamed "Ellie" by the Greeks in honor of the ship sunk off the coast of Tinos on the Day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. Since 1951, under the Greek flag, he was part of the naval forces of Hellas.
And the ship torpedoed on August 15, 1940, which miraculously changed the goal of the Italians, took over the fire, which made it possible to avoid monstrous casualties among the pilgrims and inhabitants of the island, was raised to the surface and, unfortunately, cut into scrap metal. But the remains of the Italian torpedo are still on display in the Naval Museum of Piraeus.

So, sometimes, in an incomprehensible way, political and religious events echo in life. And, celebrating this bright holiday in the life of every true Christian, it is worth remembering the Greek sailors who died to please other people's interests and ambitions, and the fact that only the Most Holy Theotokos saved then a crowd of thousands of residents and pilgrims from terrible sacrifices.
Happy holiday of the Assumption and a peaceful sky, dear readers!

About a little-known historical facttold Ekaterina Aravani