PANAGIA PORTAITISSA

Outside the fortifications of the medieval kastro, this large church dedicated to the Virgin Mary is the most important in Astypalaia, and certainly the most beautiful. Founded in 1762 by Saint Anthime the Blind, an ascetic from Cephalonia in the Ionian Islands, it houses a magnificent carved wooden iconostasis. The Virgin is celebrated here on Dormition Day (August 15), the biggest religious and folkloric celebration of the year. Residents and visitors gather for two days on the square to enjoy traditional dishes.