The Church and the State
The Church is not separate from the state: the clergy has civil servant status and the political and economic influence of the Orthodox Church is undeniable. It is customary to consult the patriarch for major political decisions and many representatives of the Church sit on the boards of directors of large Greek companies. The Orthodox religion is taught in public schools, although since 2015, students can be excused with parental consent.
The church also remains the country's largest landowner, still largely exempt from property taxes, to the fury of many citizens who paid a high price for austerity policies during the crisis. In response to this discontent, a constitutional revision was launched by the government of A. Tsipras, finally proposing a real political and economic revolution in the links between the Orthodox Church and the state. But one of the first measures taken by the conservative government of K. Mitsotakis was a total backtracking on these issues. It does not seem that the situation will change in the next few years, whatever the outcome of the 2023 elections: the Orthodox Church has regained its foothold almost everywhere in recent years, especially during the health crisis.
A typically Greek syncretism
From the first century AD, Greece became an active center of Christianity. The islands of the North Aegean are not to be outdone in terms of religious practice and places of worship, which vary in size and importance. Thus, you can visit imposing monasteries such as the Archangel Michael Convent on the island of Thassos, which faces the sacred mountain of Mount Athos or the Nea Moni Monastery in Chios, which was founded in the 11th century and is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But beyond these venerable sites, you will discover hundreds of tiny chapels scattered all over the North Aegean islands. These churches are often dedicated to the patron saints and great local families: one goes there to light a candle or to deposit an ex-voto in the hope of solving everyday problems and warding off bad luck. You will see mini chapels, like altars, on the roadside. Called proskinitaria, they mark the location of a fatal or avoided accident. Inside is an oil lamp and an icon of the patron saint of the deceased or "miraculous" person.
Superstitions are very strong on the islands. Already very strong more than 2,000 years ago, the notion of the "evil eye"(kako mati) is deeply rooted in the pagan beliefs that continue to exist. It is feared and protected in a thousand ways so as not to attract the evil eye of jealous people. Thus, each compliment likely to generate jealousy must be accompanied by a small sound of the mouth, as when one spits a seed, repeated three times with the onomatopoeia "ftoussou". Another stratagem: the numerous anti-mati amulets. The most common one is in the shape of an eye: the blue eye of the islanders adorns many houses, boats and cars, often accompanied by a small icon of a protective saint.
Religious celebrations
Believers without being very practising, the Greeks respect the traditional religious festivals which punctuate the Orthodox calendar. Easter is the most important celebration, barely rivaled by August 15 (Dormition of the Virgin). On these occasions, the islands are filled with all the natives who have left for the big cities of Greece or abroad: it is the great return and a ritual of reunion that is very much followed. You will have to plan your stay well in advance to hope to get a ferry ticket and accommodation. For a few days, prices are high but it is a dive into the Greek world that you should not miss.
For the Orthodox Easter, and for almost a week, the islands of the North Aegean come back to life after the winter, with ritualized banquets and processions to which all are invited. The most important procession is that of theepitafios, dedicated to the Descent from the Cross, on Good Friday. Each island celebrates in its own way the Easter festival, but one of the most amazing traditions takes place on the islands of Samos and Chios: great fireworks and shooting battles are exchanged between communities in the villages of Vrontados (Chios) and Marathokampos (Samos) in particular.
Beyond these two unavoidable appointments (Easter and the Dormition), the islands of the North Aegean celebrate a whole series of saints and local religious customs during panigyria, which are held especially in summer. These festivals gather the island around a big meal and traditional songs and dances that sometimes continue until the morning. You can't miss it, wherever you are in the region and especially on the island of Ikaria which is famous for its panigyria more than any other... The opportunities to drink, eat and be merry will fill your summer! Among the dates of the calendar not to be missed, some examples in Ikaria: the celebrations dedicated to the Prophet Ilias (on July 20 in Aghios Kirikos), to the Transfiguration of Christ (on August 6 in Christos Rahon), or to Aghios Fanarios (on August 27 in Avlaki)... The list is so long that every year the Prefecture of Ikaria publishes the dates and places to remember.
