Santorini Officially Celebrated Its Patron Saint Irene for the First Time

The Sacred Metropolis of Thera, Amorgos and the Islands solemnly celebrated the sacred memory of the patron and protectress of Santorini, the holy and glorious Great Martyr Irene.

This marks the first official celebration of Saint Irene as patron and protectress of Santorini following the publication of the relevant Presidential Decree (Government Gazette 160/A/18-9-2025), by which May 5 has been established as a local holiday for all schools and public services on the island.

The recognition of Saint Irene as patron saint highlights the island’s spiritual identity, especially since the very name “Santorini” derives from “Santa Irene.”

This official recognition strengthens the bond between the local community and Orthodox tradition, establishing a new annual celebration that is expected to become an important point of reference for both inhabitants and visitors alike.

The festive events took place at the Metropolitan Church of the Reception of the Savior (Ypapanti) in Thera.

Chapel of Panagia Theoskepasti in Santorini

Perched high, very high, on the Western edge of the Skaros rock in Imerovigli of Santorini, Panagia Theoskepasti (She Who Is Covered by God) blesses the Aegean!

This is a beautiful chapel on one of the most difficult heights of Santorini, standing alone, amidst winds and storms and dominating with her Grace the vast blue that lies before it. Its unique beauty inspired the great Greek writer Elias Venezis to write a beautiful short story dedicated to this chapel!

From its small courtyard, which is located at a height of 400 meters in a vertical position above the sea, the pilgrim can enjoy the sun, while it sinks into the Aegean, setting the sky on fire with red colors.

The truth is that it is not an easy task to get there. There are many steps. Over 300. And the path is difficult and in some parts windy and dangerous.

The Church of Saint Katherine in Kampos on the Sacred Island of Tinos

Kampos, one of the few fertile valleys of the sacred island of Tinos, is a settlement with a population of a few hundred people with great historical significance. This is where Saint Pelagia was born in 1752, the daughter of the priest Nikephoros Negrepontis, who died a few years after her birth. Pelagia, whose secular name was Loukia, was raised in Kampos by her mother until the age of 12, when life's difficulties forced her mother to send her daughter to her native village of Tripotamos to be taken care of by her sister. At the age of 15, Loukia became a novice at Kechrovouni Monastery, where her other aunt was a nun, and eventually was tonsured with the name Pelagia. It was here that the Mother of God appeared to her over three consecutive nights urging her to uncover her sacred icon in the place indicated by her, which indeed she discovered in the field of Doxara on January 30, 1823. 

How Saint Irene Became the Patron Saint of the Greek Island of Santorini

In August 26-27 of 2024, the Permanent Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, during its meeting, approved the request of His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of Thera, Amorgos, and Nisoi regarding the proclamation of Saint Irene, the Great Martyr, as the Patron Saint and Protectress of the island of Santorini. She is annually commemorated on May 5th.

The issue was also discussed in the Municipal Council of Thera, during the meeting of June 4th 2024, at the suggestion of the Mayor of Thera, Nikos Zorzos, who brought to the attention of the people a document from the Sacred Metropolis of Thera, which stated the following:

"Strogili, Kallisti and Thera were the ancient names of our island of Santorini. The name Santorini was established during the era of the Frankish Crusaders, and comes from the magnificent early Christian three-aisled basilica of Saint Irene (Santa Irini) in Perissa, the ruins of which were discovered in 1992. The basilica of Saint Irene in question was discovered under a ruined Middle Byzantine era church of the 8th/9th century, also dedicated to the Saint and is one of the most remarkable monuments of the Cyclades. It is noteworthy, in fact, that apart from these two churches, the Early Christian and the Middle Byzantine, at the location of Chones in Emporeio there is also a third Middle Byzantine church of the 9th century dedicated to the Holy Great Martyr.

The dedication of three monumental churches to the Early Christian, Saint Irene, from whom the island of Santorini essentially took its name, as well as others much later (in Kato Fira, in Messaria and elsewhere), demonstrates the reverence of the people of Thera towards the Saint, who is proposed to be established as the patron saint of the island, with the day of remembrance on May 5th of each year as an official day of universal celebration in Santorini.

Please request, if you agree, for the adoption of a relevant decision by your Municipal Council, so that the matter can be forwarded to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece, for its consideration.”

 

Procession with the icon of St. Irene (May 5, 2025)

 

Following the relevant proposal of His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of Thera, Amorgos, and Nisoi, and after a dialogical discussion, the Municipal Council unanimously decided to recommend to the Ministers of Interior and Finance the issuance of a Presidential Decree, by which:

1. Saint Irene is designated as the patron saint of the island of Santorini.

2. May 5 is established as a religious holiday for Santorini.

3. May 5 is designated as a holiday for all school units and services of Santorini, which may optionally take part in the religious events of celebration.

4. It is stipulated that the celebration events will include a general flag-raising from 8am of the previous day until sunset of the day of the celebration.

Procession with the icon of St. Irene (May 5, 2025)

It was also agreed that the decision of the Municipal Council be sent:

1. To the Ministers of Interior and Finance for the issuance of a Presidential Decree in accordance with the above.

2. To His Eminence Metropolitan Amphilochios of Thera, Amorgos, and Nisoi and through him to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece.

The Permanent Holy Synod responded to the request of the Metropolis and thus Saint Irene is officially the Patron of Santorini with a day of celebration on May 5th. 

 

On May 5th 2025 was the first celebration of Saint Irene as the patron saint of Santorini, which was celebrated by the Metropolitan in the Metropolis Church of the Reception of the Savior in Fira.

 

 

 

The Tradition of the "Kollyva-Saturday" of Saint Theodore in Oia of Santorini

Church of the Holy Theodoroi in Oia

On the first Saturday of Great Lent, the Orthodox Church honors Saint Theodore the Tiro, and specifically the “commemoration of the miracle of the kollyva by Saint Theodore the Tiro.”

Julian the Apostate - a pagan Roman Emperor - wanted to “contaminate” Christian subjects by secretly ordering during Clean Week (the first week of Great Lent starting on Clean Monday) that all food in the marketplace be sprinkled with the blood of pagan sacrifices. Saint Theodore then appeared in a dream to the then Archbishop of Constantinople and ordered him to inform all Christians so that they would not buy food from the marketplace and instead to boil kollyva for their food. Thus, the pagan emperor's purpose was thwarted, and on Clean Saturday the people gave thanks to the Saint. Since then, the Church has commemorated this event to the glory of God and to honor Saint Theodore.

The Path to Panagia Hozoviotissa in Amorgos

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Fresco of the Virgin Mary Dating Before Iconoclasm Discovered in Naxos

A fresco of the Virgin Mary, dating from before Iconoclasm (726-842 AD) and which is considered rare, was recently discovered in a Byzantine church in Naxos.

The fresco was found behind layers of lime that covered it. The revelation was made by the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades, while in his Facebook post from August 15th 2024, the Director of the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades, Demetrios Athanasoulis, notes:

Synaxarion of the Finding of the Honorable Zoni of the Theotokos in Santorini and Its Return to Vatopaidi Monastery in 1830

On the 10th of this month (October), we celebrate the remembrance of the finding of the Honorable Zoni of our Most Holy Theotokos in the year 1830 on the island of Saint Irene, namely Santorini, and its glorious return to the divine and revered Monastery of Vatopaidi.

Verses

To reap abundant grace, O believers,
The Zoni hidden in the soil was found.

With hymns we honor you Virgin at the finding of your Zoni,
The Orthodox flock of the island of Santorini.

 

As mentioned by many written testimonies of the sacred, revered and imperial Monastery of Vatopaidi on Mount Athos, and even a Theraean document of the year 1830, during the month of June in 1820, sacred relics were sent to Crete to save it from the plague epidemic, among which was the Honorable Zoni of the Theotokos, a portion of the Honorable Wood of the Cross, and the Head of Saint Andrew the Jerusalemite, Bishop of Crete, with the escort of the hieromonks Neophytos and Ambrosios, the hierodeacon Parthenios and the monks Dionysios and Dorotheos.

The Festival of Saint Paisios the Athonite in Santorini

In 2018 a church dedicated to Saint Paisios the Athonite was built in Mesaria on the Greek island of Santorini, and it was consecrated in 2019. It is seen as a spiritual jewel on an island known throughout the world for its immensely popular summer tourist attractions, which makes it especially valuable to have a festival in honor of this modern Saint of the Orthodox Church in the middle of summer on the island. This year, July 11-12th 2023, Metropolitan Amphilochios of Thera led a multitude of believers in honoring Saint Paisios, who crowded not only the inside of the church but its outside courtyard as well, and led the faithful in a procession on the island.

 

Miracles of the Panagia of the Life-Giving Spring at Longovarda Monastery in Paros: Miracle 3 (Elder Philotheos Zervakos)

 

 ...continued.

3. Another miracle happened during the blockade in 1917,* when there was no wheat on the island** due to the blockade by the Anglo-French. Many of the poor of the island and the refugees took refuge in our Sacred Monastery of the Life-Giving Spring at Longovarda; the majority of rich people, in such circumstances, hide the wheat in order to sell it at inflated prices for profit. The Fathers of the Monastery, feeling sorry for the hungry, provided everyone with bread for food and other supplies that the Monastery had. Then it was time to marvel at the miracles of the Life-Giving Spring, because while the Fathers were giving one by one to those who came and the grain was scarce, but according to the calculations of some who were weak in faith, the grain in the storehouse would soon be exhausted, others on the other hand believed the All-Immaculate Theotokos of the Life-Giving Spring with her blessings would prove it inexhaustible. The wheat did not run out, but was preserved to the astonishment and admiration of those who saw it until the new harvest. But what can I say? The Sacred Monastery has shown to be an unfathomable and inexhaustible river. For who, poor or widowed, or orphaned or sick or suffering, either physically or mentally, coming to the Monastery with faith does not receive their request? All become healthy, both of soul and body enjoying health, they leave giving thanks to the Mother of God and recounting the multitude of her miracles.

Miracles of the Panagia of the Life-Giving Spring at Longovarda Monastery in Paros: Miracles 1 and 2 (Elder Philotheos Zervakos)

Elder Philotheos Zervakos praying to the Panagia of the Life-Giving Spring in Longovarda

 

By Elder Philotheos Zervakos

In order to conclude the innumerable miracles of our Lady the Theotokos of the Life-Giving Spring, we cite here also the following miracles performed in the Sacred Monastery of Longovarda, before the Life-Giving Spring, in these days.

1. In the first days of the past forty-day fast, of the year 1927, a villager from the village of the island known as Lefkes, whose name is George Rangousis, came here. He begged me for him to bring his 18-year-old son Demetrios to our Sacred Monastery, suffering from paralysis of all his body parts and unable to walk. I, having unwavering faith in the unfailing help of the Theotokos and in the multitude of Her infinite miracles, said to the man: "Go, bring your son to the Monastery, and have faith and hope that the All-Immaculate Lady, the Life-Giving Spring, will heal him." Going from there to the village, he brought his son, for whom we began to repeat the prayers of Basil the Great and Sacred Chrysostom, anointing him with oil from the vigil lamp of the icon of the Theotokos of the Life-Giving Spring. O the miracle! After a few days of his sojourn inside, the one who was unable to stand on his feet beforehand now began to walk freely, praising and blessing God and the All-Praised Theotokos, the Life-Giving Spring, who provided him with healing, soul and body. He is now in our Monastery working in the shoemaker's shop (he happens to be a shoemaker) and he will leave for his homeland to the joy and gladness of his parents, who have spent a lot on doctors for the treatment of their son without benefit.