We walk on a path to the Chapel Kakaviotissa with a beautiful view on big parts of the island.
One of the most atmospheric chapels of Aegean, clinging like an eagle’s nest in the inner part of a rock, Panagia Kakaviotissa invites the tireless hikers and modern anchorites to genuflect.
The unique view and the peacefulness of the place will make up for the hiking. We travel back in 1305 when, on the glebe of the Monastery of Saint Lavras on Mount Athos,when monks from Agios Efstratios found a shelter to protect themselves from Turks’ raids.They built the small chapel for their church service,in a position that possibly hosted an old Christian temple. Once the monks passed away, new monks didn’t arrive and the last ascetic decided to return Mount Athos.Before he left,he entrusted the picture of Holy Mary in Moumtzi family in Kondias and he begged him to bring the picture to the chapel every Tuesday after Easter for its church service.Afterwards,according to tradition,he used his cassock as a boat and he headed off to Mount Athos.
Even today,every Tuesday of Easter,the descendants of the family bring the picture up to Panagia Kakaviotissa and a crowd of pilgrims swarm the celebration ,to light a candle in the chapel, that doesn’t have tall walls and a roof but only a small yard.