MORE...STRANGE

THE MADONNA LILY

  Every year on 23 August in the village of Demoutsadata in Kefalonia, the village church celebrates its feast day. On this day, a lily, which refuses to flower the rest of the year, suddenly bursts into bloom. The locals call this a miracle of the Virgin Mary.

THE LITTLE SNAKES OF THE VIRGIN OF LAGOUVARDAS

  Time and time again, the media has shown interest in this particular phenomenon. These snakes are not poisonous at all, and are small and harmless. According to old records, these snakes used to appear around the middle of August and made their way through the streets towards the church, climbing up onto the throne of the Virgin Mary and then disappearing after the service. Legend has it that many years ago there used to be a monastery on the site of the church that’s there today. When pirates surrounded the monastery, the nuns who lived there begged the Virgin Mary to turn them into snakes, which she did. The legend goes on to say, that since then these snakes and their appearance have been interpreted by believers as being a good omen for the island.Nowadays, they are picked up and placed in glass jars next to the Virgin’s throne and freed after the service.

THE HERMITAGE

  On this ‘strange’ island of Kefalonia in the Omala region, there is a monastery built in honour of Saint Gerasimos, the patron saint of the island. Inside the church is the saint’s hermitage, which resembles a cave. If anyone wants to visit it, they have to descend a 3-meter ladder. The hermitage is divided into 2 “rooms” or areas, separated by a small opening. Although this hole is very small, apparently anyone, regardless of size, can go through it. Even somewhat overweight visitors have been known to get through.

GOLD TEETH

  The historian, K.Liverdos, reports that goats and hares that graze on the mountain Agia Dynati in Kefalonia have gold-plated teeth. Research shows that this is due to mineral substances in the soil on that particular mountain.

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