Top 5 religious destinations in Greece (Part B)

Continuing the dedication to religious tourism in Greece, we complete the top five with Aegina and Paros. They are the islands that attract the greatest interest of friends of this special type of tourism.

Aegina

Aegina of Argosaronicos is a destination rich in religious interest. It has 14 parishes, 7 monasteries, while the major local religious holidays make every day a celebration in Aegina!
Byzantine churches, basilicas from the early Christian era and its chapels of medieval Palaiochora, make up the ecclesiastical wealth of the island, complemented by the monasteries.
As far as the monasteries are concerned, we start with the Monastery of Chrysoleontissa or Dormition Monastery which was built in the 13th century according to the traditional monastic architecture of Mount Athos. The Monastery of Agios Nektarios, however, holds the title of religious pilgrimage center with thousands of visitors from all over the world every year. It was built by Saint Nektarios himself and is one of the largest churches of Orthodoxy today in terms of size and importance. We still have the women's Monastery of Agia Ekaterini, the Monastery of Agios Minas to the southwest of the Temple of Aphaia Athena, but also the Monastery of Agia Anastasia of Farmakolytria. Other monasteries are the Monastery of Panagia tis Eleftherotria, the Monastery of Genesiou tis Theotokou or the Monastery of Agios Christopheros.

The list cannot miss the Metropolitan Church of Aegina where the first Greek government was sworn in in 1828 after the liberation struggle, but also the patron saint of Aegina, Agios Dionysios, the protector of the island who celebrates every year on December 17.

Paros

Thanks to the imposing church of Panagia Ekatontapyliani, which stands out in Parikia near the port, and the other 450 churches located throughout the island, Paros occupies one of the top positions in the list of religious destinations in Greece. According to tradition, the church of Panagia Ekatontapyliani was built in the middle of the 4th century by Saint Helen or by Constantine the Great. It is one of the most important and well-preserved Christian churches in the country, because of which the island receives thousands of tourists every year. Near Ekatontapiliani is the Fragomonastery. It belongs to the Catholic Archdiocese of Naxos, which also maintains it. During the summer season, Divine Liturgy is celebrated every Sunday by a Catholic vicar.

As for the rest of the scattered churches, 150 of them are located in settlements, while the rest are chapels in the countryside. The Agia Triada to the east of the village of Lefki, the chapels of Agios Konstantinos and the Annunciation of the Virgin on the top of the castle of Parikia, the Taxiarchis, the Agia Triada and Agia Paraskevi also in Parikia, Agios Ioannis the Theologian, from the earlier chapels in Kato Marathi. Also Evangelistria, Agios Savvas, Agios Nikolaos Mostratos in the traditional settlement of Naoussa, Agia Aikaterini, but also Agios Nikolaos Thalassitis at the entrance to the port of Parikia, which receives many visitors due to its location.

Tags: Aegina, Paros, Religious Tourism