Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Old Corfu- Kerkira- Old Photos




Today is a special Corfu holiday- Saint Spirdon's Deliverance of the island from the Turks...

The Holy Relics of the Saint go out on parade to commemorate the occasions when he saved the island from various disasters - deliverances interpreted as miraculous interventions by the Saint. As a result, he is considered to be the island's Protector, and his miracles are celebrated with four annual processions


- The first takes place on Palm Sunday and commemorates the deliverance of the island in 1630 from a deadly plague. The relics of the Saint pass through the streets accompanied by all the island's philharmonic bands. The procession sets out from the Saint's own church at 11 in the morning and follows the line of the old town walls, from where the Saint drove out the disease.
- The second and oldest procession was established in 1550 in thanks for the relief of the island from famine. This procession traditionally takes place on Easter Saturday starting at 9 in the morning.
- The third commemorates the Saint's intervention in saving the island from plague a second time (1673) and is held on the first Sunday in November.
- On August 11 the fourth procession takes place, in memory of the deliverance of the island from the Turks after the month-long siege of 1716.

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and on another note....

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