The Cycladic island of Amorgos today marks the Feast of the Entry of the Theotokos (Presentation of the Virgin Mary) with vibrant celebrations honoring its protector, Panagia Hozoviotissa.
From early morning, church bells echoed across the island as villagers in Chora, Katapola, Aegiali, and smaller settlements attended Divine Liturgy at the iconic cliffside monastery and local parish churches. Following services, traditional feasts filled the narrow streets with the aroma of roasted goat, pitarakia (cheese pies), xerotigana pastries, and flowing local wine and raki.
At the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, perched 300 meters above the Aegean Sea, hundreds of pilgrims climbed the steep path to venerate the miraculous 9th-century icon that gives the monastery its name. The whitewashed Byzantine complex, built in 1088 and clinging impossibly to the rock face, remains one of Greece’s most dramatic religious sites.
According to centuries-old tradition, the tiny icon arrived on Amorgos from Hozova in Palestine during the Iconoclastic period, sent across the sea in a small boat by a devout woman to escape destruction. It washed ashore beneath the cliffs at Agia Anna beach, where shepherds later discovered it glowing in the night — leading to the founding of the monastery on what was once called “daimonotopos” (place of demons).
Despite strong northerly winds typical for late November, visitors from across Greece and abroad made the pilgrimage today. The resident monks, maintaining an 1,100-year tradition of hospitality, greeted guests with shots of homemade raki and loukoumi at the monastery’s entrance.
“Every year on the 21st of November, the whole island becomes one big family,” said Father Spiridon, one of the three monks currently living at Hozoviotissa. “Panagia has protected Amorgos through pirates, earthquakes, and storms. Today we give thanks.”
Local authorities report that visitor numbers to the monastery have increased by approximately 25 % compared to pre-pandemic levels, with the site continuing to draw international attention following its appearance in Luc Besson’s 1988 film The Big Blue.
As night falls, music and dancing continue in village squares across Amorgos, with celebrations expected to last until the early hours.
ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΠΟΛΛΑ to all celebrating the feast of Panagia Hozoviotissa!
Stay updated with the latest news from Greece and around the world on greekcitytimes.com.
Contact our newsroom to share your updates, stories, photos, or videos. Follow GCT on Google News and Apple News.
