Baby seal travels from Crete to Athens

A 10-day-old baby seal which was found at the beginning of November on a beach in Sitia has travelled to Athens to be taken care of by the Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal (MOm) until it is old enough to be released back into its natural environment. The Coastguards, who located the seal after calls from the public, immediately communicated with the organisation to receive instructions on how to keep the animal safe, and it then travelled via Blue Star ferry from Heraklion to Piraeus, where MOm’s Rescue Team picked it up to take it to the Rehabilitation Centre which is housed in the Attica Zoological Park in Spata. MOm has been caring for sick and orphaned seals since 1990. (Haniotika Nea 19th October.)

Baby seal Minoas at MOm Rehabilitation Centre in Attica

This baby seal, christened Minoas, was found separated from his mother on a beach in Sitia early this month and taken to the MOm Rehabilitation Centre in Attica. Photo: APE-MPE.

In an interview with APE-MPE, MOm biologist Eleni Tounta said:

“This year we have had two babies. Hermes was found in October at Pili in Evia and now in November we have got Minoas from Sitia in Crete. Both of them are babies, at this age they should be nursing with their mother but they were swept away by storms and they were sick. We are treating them with drugs, in consultation with the responsible vet, and we hope that after the three months they will spend here, we will release them again into their natural environment, as we do each time.”

The baby seals are housed in a specially equipped area with a swimming pool where they are monitored by a vet and looked after daily by trained MOm staff. As Ms Tounta explained: “Since the seals are at an age where they would be nursed by their mothers, we are feeding them now with puréed fish with the necessary vitamins, until they pass to the next stage, where we will give them whole fish to eat. Once they reach the required weight, around 60 kilos, and have learned to eat fish, we will set them free. ” A video of the interview and of the young seals being looked after by MOm staff can be seen on YouTube.

Seals are wild animals, and when they approach beaches and harbours it is extremely important for their own wellbeing that people should avoid contact with them. If they find a seal, the public are advised to stay away from it, to not try to touch it and obviously, not to feed it. If they think that the animal has some problem. they are advised to immediately contact the local Coastguard and MOm (+30 210 522 2888).

History and distribution

The Mediterranean Monk Seal is described as one of the most endangered species in the world. Widespread throughout the Mediterranean, the Black Sea and the Atlantic coast of North Africa from Classical times, the population has shrunk over the centuries as a result of hunting for their fur and flesh (in Roman times), killing by fishermen who see them as competitors, destruction of habitat and the pressures of modern tourist development. The worldwide population is now thought to amount to some 600.

Map of monk seal distribution
Historic and present distribution of the monk seal.

Formerly gregarious, monk seals now tend to be solitary, giving birth in sea caves which are difficult of access, their only entrance being often under water. This in itself will present a threat to their survival if sea levels rise because of global warming.

Apart from isolated colonies on the North African coast and the Madeira archipelago, the main concentration of surviving seals is in the eastern Mediterraean, mainly in the Ionian and Aegean Seas in Greece and along the Mediterranean coasts of Turkey. Recently, sightings of individual monk seals have been recorded in Israel, Libya, Cyprus, Croatia and Italy.

According to cretanbeaches.com, in Crete the seals nest almost all over the island. Areas where they are known to live include Skaleta (Rethymnon), the islands of Koufonisi and Gavdos, the Sfakia area, the peninsula and islands of Gramvousa, Chrissi island, Cape Drapanos in Apokoronas, Xerokambos (Lasithi) and the shores south of the Asterousia Mountains (Heraklion).

The MOm website has information in English about the monk seal, including ways in which the public can help in the species’ protection.

New archaeological find at Lissos

A large part of a public building, in the form of a theatre or parliament, with an eastern orientation, has been uncovered by excavations at the archaeological site of Lissos between Sougia and Paleochora on the south coast. The excavations, the first in 62 years, have been carried out as part of the work of enhancement and protection of the site, according to a press release from the Ministry of Culture and Sport. The find has been provisionally dated to the 1st century AD. (Haniotika Nea, 25th October)

The excavated theatre at Lissos, SW Crete
The recently excavated theatre at the archaeological site of Lissos, near Sougia on the south coast. Photo: Haniotika Nea/Ministry of Culture and Sport.

The first phase of the excavation revealed part of the stage, two lateral kiosks with vaulted roofs and 14 rows of seats in the form of an amphitheatre with built foundations which are probably set into the natural ground. Most of the intact seats are on the south and south west sides. The north west side of the concave site is particularly disturbed. The destruction was caused when enormous boulders, brought by an adjacent stream, traversed the site diagonally towards the east. The stream probably flooded as the result of a severe earthquake during the late Roman period (4th century AD), which destroyed most of the ancient sites in western Crete.

The next phase of exploration – according to the same announcement – involves the completion of excavations in order to establish whether the monument is surrounded by a perimeter wall, which will be necessary in order to draw up plans for the restoration and enhancement of the site. In any case, the discovery of a building with a public function at a central point on the site and close to the already well-known Aesclepeion, adds new data to the archaeological and historic picture of the area.

Lissos was an ancient autonomous city, religious centre and seat of the Oreioi Confederacy around the 3rd century AD, which developed in the verdant valley of Aï-Kyrkou, which is surrounded by mountain peaks and opens out onto the southwest Cretan Sea. The Asclepeion, which came to light in 1959, together with the architectural relics of public buildings, the impressive necropolis from Greco-Roman times and the two single-roomed Byzantine churches make up a unique archaeological complex of exceptional natural beauty.

Access to the site is either from the sea or via the European footpath E4, with the result that the area has remained unscathed by later interventions, but at the same time presents practical difficulties for the execution of any works. The excavation work has been carried out by the Chania Antiquities Department with a budget of 300,000 euros and was funded by the Public Expenditure Programme of the Region of Crete.

The Asclepeion at Lissos

The site includes the ruins of an Asclepeion, a healing temple dedicated to Asclepius, a hero and god of medicine in ancient Greek religion and mythology. The son of Apollo, Asclepius was said to have been such a skilled doctor that he could even raise people from the dead, and pilgrims would flock to temples built in his honour in order to seek spiritual and physical healing.

Crete trails on achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Crete has achieved a low ranking in the list of Greek Regions’ performance against the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, according to an article in the Haniotika Nea of 12th November. The ranking is the result of research by the Greek Sustainable Development Goals Network (SDSN Greece), the Athens University for Economics and Business, the Athena Research Centre and the Regional Policy Observatory, with the support of Data Consultants. Their report, a digest of which can be seen here, is the first recording of progress in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals at a regional level.

Thessaly scored highest among the 13 regions while Attica was last. Crete came in at number 11. According to the report: “The Region of Thessaly is the only Greek region that has already fulfilled the requirements for sustainability by 2030, at a rate of more than 50%. Some difficulties seem to be faced by the Regions of the Ionian Islands, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, as well as Western Macedonia. On the other hand, the Regions of Attica, South Aegean and Crete should try harder to overcome significant challenges to achieve the SDGs by 2030, given that more than 60% of the Greek population resides in these regions (Eurostat, 2022).”

The ranking of the 13 regions is shown in the following table.

SDG achievement by Region

An interactive map showing how each region is performing against each of the 17 objectives can be found at https://arcg.is/SHHL0

What are SDGs?

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a “shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future”. They were set up in 2015 by a UN General Assembly vote, following an earlier proposal by the then Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, with the aim of achieving them fully by the year 2030.

 “The seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are our shared vision of humanity and a social contract between the world’s leaders and the people,” Ban Ki-moon said at the time of the vote. “They are a to-do list for people and planet, and a blueprint for success,” he added, with the aim of wiping out poverty, fighting inequality and tacking climate change over the next 15 years.

Regional performance

The 17 goals are shown in the diagram below. Progress is measured by four criteria: 1 – Major challenges remain; 2 – Significant challenges remain; 3 – Minor challenges remain; 4 – SDG achieved. According to the report the vast majority of Greek regions face major challenges in achieving the goals SDG1: No Poverty; SDG9: Innovation and Infrastructure; SDG10: Reduced Inequalities; and SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals

On the other hand, most regions have achieved significant improvement in achieving the objectives SDG2: No hunger; SDG3: Good health; SDG5: Gender equality; SDG6: Clean water and sanitation; SDG8: Good jobs and economic growth; SDG13: Climate action; and SDG15: Life on land.

For two of the goals – SDG 12: Responsible consumption, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals – there is a complete lack of data and resources and the report does not take these into account.

The search for a new NATO Secretary General

According to an article in the Haniotika Nea of 11th November, quoting the Athenian-Macedonian Press Agency (APE-MPE), NATO expects to have appointed a new Secretary General by next spring, as the term of the current holder of the office, Jens Stoltenberg, comes to an end in October 2023 after three extensions and a whole decade in the post.

As discussions about his successor get under way in the NATO headquarters in Brussels, speculation is proliferating in the international press as to the names of possible candidates. The list is long and competition is expected to be fierce, since the post of NATO Secretary General has acquired new importance because of continuing crises such as the war in Ukraine, and the fact that NATO is being called upon to play a stabilising role internationally.

The candidates

According to the latest information from NATO sources, the names being heard most often in the corridors of NATO HQ, as well as in the international press are:
– former prime minister of Italy, Mario Draghi;
– Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte;
– Canadian finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland;
– British defence minister Ben Wallace;
– Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas;
– the president of Slovakia Zouzana Capoutova;
– former president of Croatia Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic;
– Romanian president Klaus Iohannis.
There may also be some surprise candidates put forward by countries such as Germany and Belgium.

An article in the New York Times states that Chrystia Freeland is considered a strong contender in Washington. (The United States does not put forward an American candidate, since an American general is traditionally the Supreme Allied Commander Europe.) Freeland is of Ukrainian descent and speaks English, French, Italian, Ukrainian and Russian. Moreover, as the article says, “she has run complicated ministries; she is good at news conferences and other public appearances, and she would be the first woman and first Canadian ever to run NATO”.

Chrystia Freeland
Kaja Kallas

Among the possible candidates reportedly being mentioned to replace Jens Stoltenberg as Secretary General of NATO are the Canadian deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland (left), and the Estonian president Kaja Kallas. Photos: Munich Security Conference; official portrait by Renee Altrov.

However, the EU would prefer the next NATO head to be from a member country, as 21 of its current 27 states belong to the Alliance, and if Sweden and Finland are approved for NATO membership, 23 of the 32 members would belong to the EU. At the same time there are rumours at NATO HQ that Stoltenberg wants to extend his term once again, to 2024. It appears however that this is likely to meet strong opposition from a group of countries led by France.

The process

The decision-making process lies with the Permanent Representatives of the member states in the North Atlantic Council. According to the NATO website, “The North Atlantic Council (NAC) has effective political authority and powers of decision and consists of Permanent Representatives of all member countries meeting together at least once a week….The Council is the only body within the Alliance which derives its authority explicitly from the North Atlantic Treaty.”

Shortly before the end of the incumbent General Secretary’s term, the Permanent Representatives will start a series of negotiations aimed at finding the candidate preferred by the overwhelming majority. The negotiations involve frequent contacts with the capitals of the most important Allies, with Washington playing a leading role.

The conclusive date for the election of the new General Secretary is next spring, so that the name can be announced at the NATO Summit Conference at Vilnius in Lithuania in June 2023. The final choice will be made by the Council’s Permanent Representatives acting on instructions from their capitals, and their decision is expected to be unanimous, without being put to a vote.

The Blue Ladies of Knossos

Anyone who spends a little time in Crete cannot help but notice the extent to which the myths and culture of the ancient world are interwoven with modern reality. This is true to some extent throughout Greece, but in Crete it is particularly intense because of the presence of the Minoan culture. Arthur Evans’ discoveries at Knossos from 1900 onwards and his reconstructions of the buildings and frescoes he found there, whether accurate or not, established a vision of the Minoan culture which has persisted to this day. It was in effect a branding exercise which was wholeheartedly embraced by the local population and has made a major contribution to Crete’s popularity as a tourist destination.

Kostas Spanakis - Knossos Express
“Knossos Express”. This canvas combines some of Kostas Spanakis’ favourite themes – the “Blue Ladies” of Knossos in a Sixties setting, one of them the bus driver, in Yves St Laurent cocktail dresses inspired by the art of Piet Mondrian.

Images derived from Minoan culture – the double-headed axe, the Prince of the Lilies, the bold floral designs of the Knossos murals – are everywhere, from restaurant names to souvenirs and cultural artefacts and company logos. The costumes of traditional Cretan dancers echo those of the Minoan snake goddess figurines, and every now and then one sees a face in the street in Chania which could have come straight from the wall paintings at Knossos. This interweaving of myth and reality is a gift to the creative artist, and none more so than the Chania-born artist Kostas Spanakis, whose new exhibition opened on Sunday 6th November at the Polykentro in Voukolies. The luminous images in Spanakis’ paintings show a mix of influences – from the wall paintings of Knossos to the popular culture of the Sixties which he describes as his favourite decade.

Kostas Spanakis - The Myth of Ariadne
“The Myth of Ariadne”. The mythical daughter of Minos as a modern-day typist, with the Woolmark as a cipher for the ball of thread which rescued Theseus from the labyrinth.

The development of Kostas Spanakis

Kostas Spanakis was born in 1960 in Chania, where he grew up and still lives. He is self-taught as an artist, having engaged in drawing since his childhood years. His influences were always the cinema, comics, music and books. He started publishing his work in 1980, producing comic strips for small publications, and from 1985 to 2000 he worked as a graphic artist, creating company logos, posters and ads for newspapers and periodicals. At the same time he became involved in photography and had two solo exhibitions in 1999 and 2000. Since 2001 he has worked as a painter.

In an interview with Haniotika Nea, he speaks at some length about his sources of inspiration and the process which led him to create the series of paintings he calls the “Blue Ladies”, which give their name to the exhibition:

“My art describes the dream world in which I would like to live. A world where the sky is bluer, the sea calmer, and the horizon between them is open to all possibilities. A world in which woman complacently gifts her eternal beauty to the object of her desire. A world in which Sixties fashion lives again. A world in which music plays constantly. A world which cannot live without love.”

Speaking of his development as an artist he says: “My relationship with art began in my childhood years, in an era where not only was there no television or mobile phones, but even games were very few. The easiest thing for me then was to take a pencil and paper and draw my dreams.”

The exhibition at Voukolies is a new series of works which bear the imprint of his personal style. A “personal handwriting” which as he explains, is grafted onto his youthful passion for the comics, the music and the energy of the Sixties.

“After a fair number of years of work and exhibitions, I have ended up with my own personal style, which is derived from my imagery and to some extent goes in step with Pop Art,” he says.

Kostas Spanakis - "Fovou tous Danaous"

“Fovou tous Danaous” – a reference in Greek to the phrase in Virgil’s Aeneid: “Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes”, paraphrased in English as “I fear the Greeks even when bearing gifts”. It was uttered by the Trojan priest Lacocoon as he tried to dissuade the Trojans from bringing the Wooden Horse into the gates of Troy, an action for which he and his two sons were killed by two sea serpents sent by Poseidon. The figure of the Minotaur appears in many of the exhibited paintings. Here he takes the form of the Prince of the Lilies from Knossos, offering the flowers to two “Blue Ladies” dressed in Sixties fashion who seem anxious to escape his attentions.

The birth of the Blue Ladies

“It all started from the superb wall paintings at Knossos, which I fell in love with at first sight because they reflected a sense of Bronze Age joie de vivre. The ‘Blue Ladies’ enjoyed their daily lives dressed and decorated with taste, care, style and luxury in the palaces of Knossos. The sea air caressed their faces and their hair, and the sense of abundance, of wellbeing and of carefreeness was imprinted on their expressions, their smile and their clothing. Having absorbed all this positive emotional energy and driven by artistic inspiration, I wanted to do something with them,” Spanakis says. He adds that the final stimulus for the Ladies of Knossos to take form and flesh in the modern world came when he was watching a film of the life of Yves St Laurent and noted the way in which the French fashion designer expressed the Neoplasticism of Piet Mondrian in a collection of cocktail dresses, giving a different look to his Parisian clients.

“Then I remembered that the archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans who discovered Knossos had given the name ‘Parisian’ to the female form which he discovered in the ruins because it was decorated and painted to perfection. So suddenly everything fell into place in my head and I decided to bring the ‘Blue Ladies’ into the contemporary era to live in my own favourite time, which is the Sixties and secondly today.”

Kostas Spanakis - The Proposal

“The Proposal”. Another Blue Lady clad in Yves St Laurent is wooed by Popeye wth a can of spinach. Since the word for spinach in Greek is spanaki there seems to be element of self-reference here. Akali in ancient Greek mythology was the daughter of Minos and his wife Pasiphaë. It was Pasiphaë who famously mated with a bull through a device of Daedalus’s invention and gave birth to the creature, half man and half human, who was to become known as the Minotaur.

Ancient but modern

 In Spanakis’ mind the elegant young Cretans of antiquity began to be transformed into dynamic modern women. Women who “travel all over the world, who move around in Chania and Heraklion, who work as typists, air hostesses and taxi-drivers and enjoy life in Kydonia and Knossos, buying stuff in shopping centres and drinking wine at the Aquarium”.

“Or again we find them gazing out to sea, or playing music and singing to express their grief. ‘Ladies’ who live on the edge, flirting with the mythical forms of the Minoan age, such as the Prince of the Lilies and the Minotaur, but also – why not – with paper heroes such as Popeye! After all, in art everything is allowed! The ‘Blue Ladies’, then, are here today and it is certain that they are living the myth which I imagined and created for them,” Spanakis concludes.

The exhibition of Kostas Spanakis’ works entitled “Blue Ladies” is showing at the Polykentro in Voukolies from 6th to 25th November. Opening hours are 10.00 am to 1.00 pm Monday to Friday, 5.00 pm to 8.00 pm on Saturday and 11.00 am to 7.00 pm on Sunday. The Polykentro is behind the secondary school and is reached via a signed turning to the left on the main street coming from Tavronitis, shortly before the main square. Admission is free.

Energy subsidies for November

The electricity subsidies for November will absorb up to 90 per cent of the current cost increases, according to a recent announcement by the minister for the Environment and Energy Kostas Skrekas, reported on Tovima.gr.

The subsidies will apply to both primary and secondary residences and are independent of income and energy supplier.

At the same time, electricity suppliers have announced significantly lower prices for November, with reductions of up to 37 per cent compared with October.

In announcing the subsidies, the minister issued a recommendation that people should refrain from using energy-intensive appliances during the peak hours of 6.00 pm to 9.00 pm. As before there will be three levels of subsidy:

At the first level, households consuming up to about 500 KWh per month will receive a subsidy of 238 euros. According to the ministry this category, which receives the largest subsidy, accounts for 90 per cent of households.

The second level includes households with a monthly consumption of 501 to 1,000 KWh, who will receive a subsidy of 188 euros. In addition, those achieving a reduction in consumption of 15 per cent over the same period last year will receive an additional 50 euros’ reduction on their bills.

The third level, which accounts for 2 per cent of households, comprises those consuming more than 1,000 KWh per month. They will receive a subsidy of 50 euros per megawatt/hour (MWh). This level will also receive an additional 50 euros per MWh if they show 15 per cent in energy savings over the previous year.

Households enrolled in the Social Residential Tariff will be relieved of 100 per cent of the increase and will receive 286 euros per MWh.

Commercial tariffs

For non-residential consumers with supplies of up to 35 kVA, the subsidy for the first 2,000 KWh in November is 200 euros per MWh. Those consuming more than 2,000 KWh monthly will receive a subsidy of 50 euros per MWh for the extra amount.

Farmers will receive a flat-rate subsidy of 238 euros per MWh for the month.

Suppliers reduce prices

Most of the main energy suppliers are showing substantial reductions in the unit cost of electricity compared with the month of October. They are DEH -33.3%, Protergia -31.5%, Elpedison -35.6%, IRON -37.1%, Watt+Volt -31%, Eliv -35%.

The Household Basket

With inflation in Greece currently running at an overall 12 per cent, according to figures from ELSTAT for September, the government has been taking steps to relieve the pressure on the average consumer. Measures have already been taken to compensate for rises in the cost of electricity and fuel, and this week saw the introduction of the “Household Basket” scheme, which encourages the large supermarket chains to make basic products available at affordable prices.

The scheme, devised by the ministry of Development and Investments, is compulsory for all supermarket chains with an annual turnover of over 90 million euros. Each week they must choose at least 50 products corresponding to a family’s basic necessities, from a list agreed between the supermarkets and the government, which they will make available at reasonable prices. The products will be given special signage on the supermarket shelves and the list must be fixed for a week, before it can be changed. Failure to submit a list will result in the supermarket chain being fined 5,000 euros for each infraction.

The ministry’s e-consumer website e-katanalotis.gov.gr has been set up to provide useful information for Greek consumers. The Household Basket page e-katanalotis.gov.gr/householdBasket carries a list of the participating supermarket chains, and clicking on the logo for each one brings up the supermarket’s list for the current week. Consumers can also search for a specific product on the Products page and get a list of the prices at the different supermarkets. There is also a Fuel page, where consumers can find current prices for different fuel types at petrol stations around the country.

The basic list of products in the Household Basket is as follows:

Products in the Household Basket

Latest developments

With less than a week having passed since the inauguration of the Household Basket, the ministry of Development and Investments has been fine-tuning the details of the scheme to ensure better access to consumers, according to OT.gr. Complaints of difficulty identifying the listed products have resulted in the supermarket chains being requested to provide labels of adequate size and visibility for each product, and to post a list of all the products currently included in the basket at the entrance to their stores. Similar measures are being required of those running e-shops.

A hoped-for effect of the scheme in encouraging price competition between the supermarket chains is already being seen. OT.gr reported on Saturday that the Sklavenitis and AB Vasilopoulous chains had reduced the prices of a total of 40 items in their two lists on e-katanalotis.gov.gr, by an average of 25 per cent.

The Ecumenical Patriarch meets King Charles III

The connections between the British and Greek royal families are well known. The father of King Charles III, the Duke of Edinburgh, was the grandson of King George I of Greece, and Charles has long had an affection for Greece, visiting the country several times with his wife Camilla, and attending the bicentenary celebrations marking the start of the Greek Revolution in March 2021. He has also displayed an interest in the Greek Orthodox Church and visited Mount Athos several times. (https://www.ekathimerini.com/society/1196346/king-charles-iii-and-his-enduring-affection-for-greece/)

It is therefore not surprising that the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartolomeos should have had a meeting with the King on his recent visit to London to celebrate the centenary of the establishment of a Metropolis of the Greek Orthodox Church in Britain. The two men met on Tuesday 25th October. According to a press release published on the Ecumenical Patriarchy’s website:

The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartolomeos with King Charles III in London
Photo: Ecumenical Patriarchate website

“At noon today, His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew met with His Majesty King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.

“During their half hour private meeting, His All-Holiness expressed once again his condolences for the death of the King’s Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, as well as his prayers and best wishes on behalf of the Mother Church for a successful and fruitful reign. The Patriarch also mentioned the centenary anniversary celebrations of the Holy Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain, as well as other topics of mutual interest.

“At the conclusion of the private meeting, His All-Holiness presented the venerable members of the Patriarchal delegation: Their Eminences Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain, Metropolitan Theodoritos of Laodicea, and Metropolitan Athenagoras of Belgium.

Also present were His Excellency Ioannis Raptakis, Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to the United Kingdom; and His Excellency Matthew Lodge, His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic.”

The city of Thyateira

Thyateira (or Thyatira) was the name of an ancient Greek city in Asia Minor, now the modern Turkish city of Akhisar. It lies in the far west of Turkey, south of Istanbul and some 80 km from the Aegean.

Formally called Pelopia and Semiramis, it was renamed in 290 BC by Seleucus I Nicator (the Conqueror), one of Alexander the Great’s successors, when he learned that his wife had given birth to a daughter. The name was said to have been derived from the Greek word thygatera, meaning “daughter”, although it is also possible that it is an older, Lydian name.

In early Christian times, Thyateira was home to one of the seven Apostolic Churches mentioned in Saint John’s Book of Revelation. Lydia of Thyatira, a businesswoman mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, was the apostle Paul’s first convert to Christianity in Europe. During the Roman era the city was famous for its dyeing facilities and was a centre of the purple cloth trade, and it appears that Lydia was a well-to-do agent in that trade.

From the apostolic period the city was home to a Christian community which continued until 1922, when the Orthodox Christian population left in the population exchange between Greece and Turkey. In the same year, the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate established a Metropolis to oversee both Central and Western Europe with its See in London, naming it the Metropolis of Thyateira and Great Britain. Over the years the scope of the Metropolis has been reduced as others were created in France, Germany and Austria.

The archbishop of Thyateira since 2019 is Nikitas Lulias, a native of Tampa, Florida. He resides in London and has pastoral responsibility for the Greek Orthodox Church in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Malta. (Source: Wikipedia)

A day at the Elos Chestnut Festival

As summer draws to a close and the weather becomes more autumnal, the almost daily village festivals themed with local products – honey, sardines, graviera and kalitsounia, to name just a few – fade out and are are succeeded by sparser celebrations of autumnal products. One of the major autumn events in western Crete is the Chestnut Festival at Elos, which this year was spread over three days and in three different locations.

On the evening of Friday 28th October, in the village hall at Vlatos, there was a presentation of the new Kissamos Agriportal, https://agro.kissamos.gr, by agronomists Konstantinos Hartzoulakis and Poppy Kapetanaki, the latter being also the general secretary of the muncipality of Kissamos.

The portal (available only in Greek), is described as an instructional platform which aims to provide local farmers with access to scientific information on subjects such as correct farming practices, plant pests and diseases, environmental protection and advice on irrigation. Farmers can sign up to receive information on agricultural programmes, current farming conditions, job vacancies and agricultural events organised by the municipality.

The presentation was followed by a musical event: “Folkloric and popular excursions with Kissamos artists”.

On the evening of Saturday 29th October, in the former primary school of the nearby village of Limni, there was a presentation with tastings entitled “Chestnuts … the Taste of Autumn”, by executive chef Ioannis Koufos and a team of chefs from Chania, followed by a display entitled “Macedonia and Crete Party Together” with dancers of the Cultural Assocation of Athyra, Pellas, and the musical group of Giannis Menegakis.

The central event of the Chestnut Festival, which we attended, took place on Sunday 30th October in the main square at Elos, a picturesque village situated 560 metres above sea level and 24 km south of Kissamos on the main road to Elafonissi.

Ioanna Grybaoulaki at the Elos Chestnut Festival

At the main event on Sunday 30th October, nutritionist and dietologist Ioanna Grybaoulaki gave a short address on the nutritional benefits of chestnuts. The children of the Elos primary school then took it in turn to recite pertinent facts about the chestnut.

The event, compered by Kissamos councillor Alkisti Xyrouchaki, began with a presentation on the theme “Chestnut … a nutritional treasure” by nutritionist and dietologist Ioanna Grybaoulaki , who spoke of the many vitamins and trace elements contained in the fruit and its contribution to a healthy diet. Following on from this the children of Elos primary school took it in turns to recite pertinent facts about the chestnut and its nutritious advantages.

Next came the presentation of an honorary plaque by the mayor of Kissamos Giorgos Mylonakis and the Deputy Regional Governor for Chania Nikos Kalogeris, to Elos native Apostolos Kyritsakis, a world expert on olive oil and table olives. The author of numerous books and scientific papers on the subject, Mr Kyritsakis is Professor in Food Science at Michigan State University in the U.S., and Director of the School of Food Technology and Nutrition in the Technical University of Thessaloniki. He has done extensive research on the hydrolytic and oxidative deterioration of olive oil, as well as the determination of its phenolic components.

The mayor of Kissamos, Giorgos Mylonakis, reads the dedication on an honorary plaque presented to local olive expert Apostolos Kyritsakis (centre). Looking on is the Deputy Regional Governor for Chania Nikos Kalogeris.

Presentation to Professor Apostolos Kyritsakis

At 1.00 pm, the event transitioned into a celebration in music and dance which was to last the rest of the day. There was dancing by the Vrachofori (literally the “breeches wearers”) of Kissamos, the “Kissamos” Cretan Dance Association, the Cultural Assocation of Athyra, Pellas, and the Folklore Group of Chania. They were accompanied by popular local musician Ilias Horeftakis and his group, and later in the day professional dancers and members of the public mingled as they danced a sirto in the square.

Dancers from the Cultural Association of Athyra, Pellas

Dancers from the Cultural Association of Athyra, Pellas, perform in Elos square. Below: After the main displays were over, professional dancers and members of the public danced a sirto together in the square.

Dancing a syrto in the main square of Elos

The main street of Elos was lined with stalls selling local products, from bagged chesnuts to walnuts, olive oil and honey, while the municipality was dispensing free portions of roasted chestnuts from its stand, and the village’s many restaurants were full to bursting.

With its predominantly stone houses and the steep hillside behind the main street the village has a definitely alpine air. A stream runs down through the village centre, past the remains of a Turkish aqueduct and the Byzantine church of St John the Theologian which dates from the 14th century. The area is notable for its fauna and flora: on our visit there were large birds of prey wheeling overhead – they nest in the cliffs above the nearby Topolia Gorge – and on a short walk there were many different kinds of fruit trees to be seen, including not only the obvious chestnuts but also walnuts, pecans, crab-apple, persimmon and breadfruit as well as apples and pomegranates.

Gargoyle on the chapel of the Dormition of the Virgin, Elos

A ten-minute walk takes one up to a late-19th century chapel dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin, with a commanding view of the village and the surrounding hills. The chapel is notable for a gargoyle on the wall beside the front entrance – an unusual feature in an Orthodox church.

New island airline inaugurated

A new inter-island “micro-airline” had its inaugural flight on Sunday 24th October, carrying the Regional Governor of the South Aegean Giorgos Hatzimarkos from Rhodes to Syros.

Sponsored by the shipowner Nikolas Lykiardopoulos and operated by the private jet and helicopter management company IFly SA, Cycladic Air will fly point-to-point between Santorini, Paros, Mykonos, Syros, Crete (Chania and Heraklion) and Rhodes, with flights ranging between 20 and 80 minutes. The airline will operate all year round, with Milos being added during the summer months.

Cessnas of Cycladic Air at Syros Airport
Two Cessna Grand Caravan 208BEX aircraft of Cycladic Air on the tarmac at Syros airport, 24th October. Photo: YouTube/Cyclades24.gr

With the aim of facilitating movement between the islands for residents but also encouraging island-hopping by travellers, the flights will be carried out by three Cessna Grand Caravan 208BEX high-wing turboprop aircraft, which fly at low altitudes. The company emphasises the improved passenger experience offered by the planes with their large windows, and also the low environmental footprint of the state-of-the art aircraft.

In a speech of welcome at Syros airport, the Regional Governor George Hatzimarkos said:

“We welcome to our islands the air connections of Cycladic, which will affect both the residents and our touristic product. From today they have a new route connecting the islands with one another, and that is the airline which is inaugurated with this flight 51 from Rhodes to Syros. It was an exceptional pleasure for me to be flying on this flight – it is an easy and splendid means of travel. We welcome Cycladic, as we welcome every investment effort which comes to respond to the real needs of the islands, and also responds to their dynamic and outlook. I want to thank the founder of Cycladic Mr Likiardopoulos and his colleague Mr Vergis from IFly who are today implementing a commercial project which has been one of our dreams for many years.

Giorgos Hatzimarkos and Nikolas Lykiardopoulos
Regional Governor of the South Aegean Giorgos Hatzimarkos (right), greets the founder of Cycladic Air, Nikolas Lykiardopoulos, on his arrival at Syros airport, 24th October. Photo: YouTube/Cyclades24.gr

“Both the Mayor of Syros [Nikos Livadaras] and the Deputy Regional Governor [Giorgos Leontaritis] are here, and we are here to say that we embrace all these initiatives which give added value to our economy. The return from this confidence from the international investment community is obviously first of all to the Greek economy, but we also reap the benefit in the name of the islands, and we are here to help fashion something which has been an aspiration of ours for many years, that is to say a good collaboration between the private and the public sector, so as to attract the investments which are so much needed by the economy, the community, residents and visitors.”

A video of the reception at Syros airport, with speeches and exchanges of gifts, can be seen on YouTube. It includes a short interview with Kyriaki Katsogresaki, who comes from the village of Ziros near Zakros in eastern Crete and, having worked as personal air stewardess to the royal family of Saudi Arabia, went to flying school and is now in her first job as a pilot for Cycladic Air.