TRADITIONS IN AGISTRI

THE FIRST INHABITANT OF AGISTRI

It is said that the first inhabitant of Agistri was an Arvanitis landowner and confidant of the Bey of Ioannina, named Dimakis. According to tradition, it is said that he betrayed a great secret of the Ottoman palace and, chased, leaves Ioannina at night with his family, only to end up after a long journey in the Peloponnese.

During his wanderings, he changes his name out of fear, lest the Bey of Ioannina find them and behead them all as a family. He introduces himself everywhere as Janos and arriving in the Peloponnese he takes a boat and looks for a place for him and his family to hide.

Around 1550, arriving at Agistri, he was enchanted by the beauty and euphoria of the island and decided to settle in the area of the location Limni, so that he would have water and land so that his children would not die of hunger. There they all built a small village with stone and earth and started a new life, in this blessed place.

THE CHURCH OF SAINT NIKOLAOS ON LIMNI

According to one version of the tradition, it is said that a few years later, Saint Nicholas appeared to Tzanos and asked him to search for his icon and when he found it, to build him a Church in his name and then the Saint would protect them from rough seas and storms, to have good fishing.

Always according to tradition, the icon was found, which at first was housed in a small building, on the site of which, later became a small Church, which today is protected by the Byzantine Antiquities Tax Office.

According to another version of the tradition, it is said that the Church of Agios Nikolaos was built in one night by the last Byzantine emperor Constantine IA Palaiologos, to honor Agios Nikolaos who saved him from certain drowning, when he found himself in a great storm in the sea area opposite Limni.

THE NAME ON THE ISLAND OF DOROUSA

The Dorians were Greeks who, according to written traditions, came from the mountain range of Pindos. Around the 12th BC century, the Dorians descended on southern Greece.

According to tradition, it is said that the Dorians, descending towards Central and Southern Greece, reached the area of the Lake and passing to the opposite islet, Dorousa, built protective walls, which are preserved to this day. From this contact with the Dorians, this islet was named Dorousa.

HOW WAS THE OLD CHURCH OF THE SAINT ANARGYROI BUILT

According to tradition, at the beginning of 1900, the inhabitants of the village of Metohi saw a light flashing from above, in the place where the Church of Agioi Anargyroi is today.

It is said that a vision indicated to some of the inhabitants, to dig at this point and find the Icon of Agioi Anargyroi. The Icon was found buried in the sand and at this point they built a small single-aisled chapel, of Agioi Anargyroi, which was consecrated by Agios Nektarios. Today, on the site of the old Church, an all-white new Church has been built, which is architecturally a three-aisled basilica with a large blue dome.