During their stay at the
Ionian Village, campers make excursions about every other day to religious
and cultural sites of Greece. Destinations include:
Ancient Olympia: Olympia is a sanctuary of ancient Greece,
known for having been the site of the Olympic Games (one of the many
Panhellenic games locations). Olympia was not actually a city, but rather an
area set aside exclusively for temple dwelling and public buildings associated
with the games. The games were
held every Olympiad (i.e. every four years), dating back as far as 776 B.C.,
and operated during times of a “Sacred Truce” (all Greeks put aside their local
wars in favor of the Athletic Spirit).
Patras: Patras is the 3rd largest city in Greece and the largest city in the Peleponnese, as well as significant stronghold during ancient times because of its location as the western gateway to Greece. The new church of St. Andrew, whose construction began in 1905 and was completed in 1979, houses the skull and pieces of the X-shaped cross that St. Andrew was crucified on (while his relics were taken to Rome during the fall of Constantinople, Pope Paul VI returned the skull to Patras where it remains today).
Zakynthos Zakynthos is the closest island to Ionian Village
(it can be seen from camp on a clear day) with a population of 10,000. It is
the resting place of St. Dionysios, the patron saint of the both the island of
Zakythos and Ionian Village. The island also houses a Loggerhead Turtle
sanctuary at Laganas Bay, and historically was a cradle for poets, most notably
Dionysios Solomos, author of the Greek National Anthem.
Kefalonia Kefalonia is the largest of
the Ionian Islands, home of the New Jerusalem Monastery and Church of Saint
Gerasimos, built over the cave where St. Gerasimos retreated for several years
of his life. The island was occupied by many forces throughout history, and
much of it’s architecture was influenced by the Venetian occupation in the
1200-1500’s. Kefalonia also boasts beautiful caves, Dhrogarati, which
house impressive stalagmites and contain beautiful colors created by sunlight
streaming through the collapsed roof.
Kastro Klemoutsi Kastro Klemoutsi was
once the largest castle in the Peloponnese, named after the Greek word “chelonatas” meaning turtle, because it
appeared to resemble the shell of a turtle when viewed from the sea. Built in
1220 by the Franks atop a 300 yard hill, it is considered the most beautiful
and genuine example of French architecture of the 13th century in
Greece. Klemoutsi was built in order to protect the town of Glarentsa, which
became one of the most important commercial towns of Medieval Europe.
The Village of Kalavrita Kalavrita is
known as the birthplace of Greece’s fight for Independence from the Turks in
March of 1821, when an assembly of the leaders of the revolt declared their
independence, led by Bishop Germanos. The region was a center of resistance against the German and Italian
invaders, and as retribution for murdered German soldiers, on December 13, 1943
the Nazis entered the village of Kalavrita and murdered approximately 1300 men
& boys on the hillside above the village (only 13 survived to tell the
story). The region also contains
the monastery of Mega Spilaion, “Monastery of the Great Cave,” which was
founded in 362 AD and houses a famous icon of the Theotokos (“Panayia of the
Cave”), attributed to St. Luke.
Delphi For the ancient Greeks, Delphi
was known as the center of the world (the “Omphalos” or navel), the point where
the earth touched the divine. The games held in Delphi were called the Pythian
games, and like the games at Olympia, were held every 4 years and considered part
of the Pan Hellenic Games. Archaeologists have found evidence that the site of
Delphi was inhabited as far back as the Neolithic era, and that by the end of
the Mycenaean period (1600-1100 BCE) it had become an important religious and
political center of influence.
Aegina The
tiny island of Aegina (10,500 inhabitants) is significant throughout Greek
history, as it was the chief center for trade during ancient times. There are said to be 365 churches on Aegina, one
for each day of the year, however the most famous is dedicated to St.
Nektarios, the first modern day Saint to be canonized in the Greek Orthodox
Church in 1961. Holy Trinity
monastery on Aegina contains the tomb of Saint Nektarios and the new church of
Saint Nektarios, completed in the early 1990s. The island is also famous for is Pistachios, one of Aegina’s
major exports, which were introduced in ancient times from Persia.
Athens Evidence
of the first habitants of Athens dates back to 3500BC and was named after its
patron god, Athena, when she beat Poseidon in a competition to become the
protector of the city. Over 3 million people live in Athens, the modern capital
of Greece, comprising about 1/3 of the Greece’s total population. In the summer of 2004, Greece was the smallest
nation in 52 years to host the Olympic Games (XXVIII Olympiad), aiding the full
restoration of Athens as a splendid world capital and welcoming spectators with
plenty of Greek Hospitality. In the center of the Acropolis (which literally
means “top of the city”) stands the Parthenon, a temple built for Athena around
447 BC.
Syntagma Syndagma Square is a busy open space in front of the National
Parliament building, from whose balcony the constitution was proclaimed by
Greece’s Bavarian King Othon in 1843 (the building was initially built as his
royal palace). Since 1935, the
Royal Palace has been the seat of the Greek Parliament. A paved hollow square is in front of
the palace, facing a wall on which is placed a memorial to the Unknown Soldier.
The tomb is guarded by the famed Evzones, an elite unit of the Greek army. A
highlight for visitors is the changing of the guard, which takes place at
intervals throughout the day.
Monastirakis, Plaka, Mitropoli This area houses several churches, two of
note are the Metropolitan Cathedral at the center of the square, and the small
church (now in the middle of busy streets) of St. Eleftherios. The Metropolitan Cathedral was
constructed in 1840 and houses the relics of St. Philothei of Athens. The
square is lined with colorful tourist shops, jewelry stores, icon shops, and
cafes.