In 1823, a nun from the Monastery Kehrovouniou, Sister Pelayia, had a vision in which the Mother of God appeared and told her to dig up a miracle-working icon that was buried nearby. The icon was recovered in a field and, as it was brought to light, a hard protective shield, like glass, covered it. The men who removed it from the ground penetrated the shield and everyone who touched it was healed. The Church of Panayia Evangelistria in Tinos is dedicated to this icon and its fame soon preceded it, particularly as the Greek War of Independence heroes Kolokotronis, Miaoulis and Makriyannis were among the first visitors to Tinos to see the sacred image of the Panayia.
The icon depicts the Virgin Mary kneeling and Her head bent in prayer, over an open book, with the Archangel Gabriel situated across from her with a lily in his left hand and the Holy Spirit (in the form of a dove) descending from heaven above. It dates back to the early Christian period and was surmised by church officials at the time to have been the work of the Apostle and Evangelist Luke. It was also presumed that it ended up buried in a field as it was so highly esteemed in the Byzantine era that they decided to hide it during the time of the Muslim invasions.
On the 15th of August each year, there is a festival dedicated to the Dormition (or Assumption) of Megalohari (Virgin Mary), which brings thousands of pilgrims from all over Greece and the world to the Church of Evangelistria in Tinos to participate in the Feast of the Assumption. Masses and ceremonies are held inside the lovely church building and the thousands of pilgrims gather outside.
Built immediately after the discovery of the icon, the church is the real star of the show. A lovely monastery complex built on the site of an early-Byzantine church dedicated to Saint John, which was, in turn, built on the site of an ancient temple of the ancient god Dionysus, it is an intricate beauty. A large number of artisans and artists worked to finish the church in 1830, just years after the discovery of the icon, and it is an incredible feat of marbles, ornamentation, enormous chandeliers and hundreds of icon-lamps hanging in endless rows picked out in the gold and silver that was donated to the building by Christians from all over the world. One of the truly prettiest churches in the world, it is a must-see for devout Christians holidaying in Greece but also for art and architecture lovers as well. Just find a vacation rental in South Aegean and head to the island of Tinos for the church and the lovely island itself, as well!
On the 15th of August each year, there is a festival dedicated to the Dormition (or Assumption) of Megalohari (Virgin Mary), which brings thousands of pilgrims from all over Greece and the world to the Church of Evangelistria in Tinos to participate in the Feast of the Assumption. Masses and ceremonies are held inside the lovely church building and the thousands of pilgrims gather outside.
Built immediately after the discovery of the icon, the church is the real star of the show. A lovely monastery complex built on the site of an early-Byzantine church dedicated to Saint John, which was, in turn, built on the site of an ancient temple of the ancient god Dionysus, it is an intricate beauty. A large number of artisans and artists worked to finish the church in 1830, just years after the discovery of the icon, and it is an incredible feat of marbles, ornamentation, enormous chandeliers and hundreds of icon-lamps hanging in endless rows picked out in the gold and silver that was donated to the building by Christians from all over the world. One of the truly prettiest churches in the world, it is a must-see for devout Christians holidaying in Greece but also for art and architecture lovers as well. Just find a vacation rental in South Aegean and head to the island of Tinos for the church and the lovely island itself, as well!