Άγιος Στέφανος

Agios Stefanos

Useful Information

Location:	Γαλησσας, Γαλησσάς Συρος 841 00. (37.4136296, 24.8609614)
Open:	no restrictions. [2024]
Fee:	free. [2024]
Classification:	Karst Cave
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:
Address:	Agios Stefanos, Tel: +30-.
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History

Description

Άγιος Στέφανος (Agios Stefanos, Saint Stephen) is a small chapel which was built in a rather huge sea cave. Quite exceptional: it is not Greek orthodox, it is a Catholic church. The cave is named Σπηλιά του Χαρασσώνα (Cave of Harassona), because it is located at the foot of the cliff on which the small villageHarasonas is located. Harasonas belongs to Galissas and there is a narrow road from Galissas to the Hamlet. Right before the hamlet is reached, the turnoff to the cave church is on the right. The road ends at a car park, where the trail starts. Its less than a kilometer, but the car park is about 160 m asl, while the sea cave is at sea level. In other words, its steep downhill on the way to the cave and steep uphill on the way back. The chapel can also be reached by boat.

A fisherman from Galissa named Stefanos, liked to brag about his achievements. Of course, people hardly believed him and sometimes even made fun of him because he said he always caught huge fish and always held out his hands to show how big they were. One day he went fishing below Harassonas, where the rocks of the shore form a large cave into which fresh water drips. He did not catch a fish for some time, but when finally a fish bit he was gripped and thrown into the sea by the tentacle of a huge octopus. He prayed to Saint Stephen to save him and promised to erect an ecclesiastical church in the cave of Harassonas. When he got hold of his knife he hit the octopus between the eyes, and the octopus vanished, and he could swim back to his ship. He asked some people for help, and they built the chapel in the cave. There was no need for a floor or a roof, they just erected the walls. When the day of Saint Stephen came, the priest of Galissa held the service in the chapel, a tradition which continues until today.

The day of Agios Stefanos is celebrated on 19-AUG and on 26-DEC, huge numbers of people visit the chapel to attend the liturgy. After the liturgy, all pilgrims are offered “loukoumi” the sweet local delights as well as mastic from Chios.