Church of Agios Georgios Valsamitis

Μετάφραση Greek Version

Church of Agios Georgios Valsamitis

This is where you will arrive if you head towards the southern end of the island, known as Kato Meria. Just 4 kilometers from the Chora, on the right, you will see the sign leading to one of the dependencies of Hozoviotissa Monastery, dedicated to Saint George. Descending the rural road, you will find yourselves in a small but dense copse of trees and green vegetation. There used to be running water here, and you can see Katapola port in the background; in fact, you can walk there if you follow footpath number 6, starting at the church. The ruined watermill here testifies to the existence of water sources in olden times. As of today, you can still see tiny streams all around the dependency. These converge in the cistern built for this purpose, which collects enough water to serve the small vegetable gardens cultivated nearby. The origin of the name Valsamitis is an interesting one. The church is named after an aromatic, pharmaceutical herb with great antiseptic action, locally called “Varsamos”. The church contains frescoes from the 17th century and archways between the aisles. The oracle of Apollo, which operated within the temple during ancient and early Christian years, and was known as “Agiasma Valsamiti”, was linked to local religious tradition. A single nun lives there today, and a church service is held in the chapel every Saturday. On the Tuesday after Easter each year, the icons of the Virgin Mary are brought to the church from Hozoviotissa Monastery and then carried down the footpath to Katapola.