The church of Panagia Glykofilousa

The church of Panagia Glykofilousa

On top of a giant rock in the center of the town of Petra sits the church of Glykfylousa Panagia (Virgin of the Sweet Kiss). You reach the top of the rock, which rises to a height of around 30m, by climbing the 114 steps carved into the stone. A beautiful legend concerning the church on this high rock has come down to us: in the 16th century, a storm bought a religious captain from Galaxeidi to the shores of the area. One morning the captain noticed that the icon of the Blessed Virgin, which he always had with him, was missing. He looked for it everywhere but he couldn???t find it. That evening he saw a strange light shining on the topof the rock. He climbed up the rock and found his icon placed before a lighted lamp. He took it back to his boat, but again it disappeared and he found it again on top of the rock. He decided to build a small church there since that was obviously the wish of the Virgin. The first church was built in 1747 and the present one in 1840. In the church there is an exhibit of Byzantine ecclesiastical items, open to the public. There is a great celebration there on August 15th, in honour of the Virgin Mary

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