Who are celebrating today, Saturday, September 24th?

Today, Saturday, September 24, is the First Martyr Thekla, Saint Koprios, the Commemoration of the miracle of the Theotokos of Myrtidiotissa, Agia Persis.

Those named Thekla, Kopros, Kopris, Myrsini, Myrto, Myrtia, Myrtidiotissa, Myrta, Myrso, Mersa, Amerisouda, Amersouda, Amerssa, Amersa are celebrating
Persia, Persephone, Persia, Persia.

The Commemoration of the miracle of the Virgin of Myrtidiotissa

Panagia Myrtidiotissa in Kefalonia is celebrated in the Holy Church of Agios Dionysios in Drapanos, where it is also called the church of Drapaniotissa. The church of “Drapaniotissa” stands next to the cemetery of Drapanos with its entire complex of buildings and its beautiful reconstructed bell tower, as pointed out by ekklisiaonline.

The church began to be built around 1813 AD, and near the church there was a jetty called “the jetty of Panagia”. According to the historian Ilias Tsitselis, the archdeacon of the Episcopate of Kefallinia Spyridon Defaranas on July 22, 1812 AD. he submitted an application addressed to the Episcopal office for the construction of the Holy Church.

The construction of the church began immediately, after the positive response of the then archbishop of Cephalonia, Zakynthos and Ithaca, Ioannikios Anninos. The foundation was made by the nun Konstantina Halikia, widow of Anastasios Kladas, who was also the main financier of the project, since for this purpose she used all her property, 351 grosia, giving it to the craftsman Toumazon Zakynthinon.

The nun, in addition to her monetary property, also gave the church two icons, one that “captures Saints Nicholas, Spyridon, Varvara and Savvas” and the icon that represents “The Mother of God as the mercy of Kykkus.

The icon of the Virgin Mary

There is also a tradition that the icon of the Virgin Mary was brought from Kythira by the nun Klada, where she was primarily an ascetic in the monastery of Myrtidiotissa, or according to others she may have gone as a pilgrim to this place and brought the icon.

At first, the icon was placed in the Church of Agios Eleftherios, the church in which the nun Klada was an ascetic, and finally, according to her will, it ended up in the church of Drapanos.

Of course, the church is dedicated to Agios Dionysios of Zakynthos and the opening of the church, after many hardships, took place on November 30, 1836 AD.

The first litany must have been a spontaneous expression and consensus of the faithful, who lifted the throne and carried it to the Pillar of the Bridge. From 1855 AD, according to Angelo-Dionysis Demonos, the procession of her litany will reach Argostoli.

Every year the caretakers of the cemetery, following the custom of the older caretakers, have been preparing for the holy festival for days. After the vespers and the Divine Liturgy of the feast in the afternoon, the icon is litanically from the holy church of Drapanos, crosses the bridge, continues along the coastal road of Agios Spyridon, goes on a pilgrimage, while in the past this was done at the Metropolitan Church of Sotiros and then in 10 days they will return the throne of Drapaniotissa to her temple.

There are earlier descriptions of how this festival was celebrated with splendor. In 1901 AD fireworks “burned” in the central square of Argostoli to “celebrate with fun”.

As the image passed through the streets of Argostoli, which were spotlessly clean, they threw laurel leaves and the ringing of the bells and the samakas were non-stop. There was no lack of incense and the crucifix in the passage of the throne of Drapaniotissa, expressions of faith and worship.

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