The Holy Church of Zoodochos Pigi Parthenonos of Kissamos lies on Polyrrhenia treet on the southeast edge of the town, close to the cemetery. This is a modern nunnery, dedicated to Zoodochos Pigi. It was built between 1905-1910 by Bishop Anthimos Leledakis and renovated from 1962 to 1965 by Bishop Irineos Galanakis. Its premises served as a place of educational and spiritual growth, hosting the Urban Girl School, unique across Crete, in which girl students, graduating from elementary grade and the School for the Deaf, came for further education. Prominent Bishops are buried on either side of the school’s grounds. Today, a total of 10 nuns live there, who occupy their time with icon painting and handicraft, when not praying.
FOLKLORE CULTURE Folklore is a culture defined by its namesake: everything the people of a land say, do and act collectively and as a society. Folklore roots across the region of Kissamos are lost in the haze of time, back to Minoan Civilisation times. FOLK ART MUSIC Music and singing are strongly connected to all sides of everyday life for the inhabitants of the area. Traditional musical instruments of Kissamos are the lute and violin, instead of the lyre found in other regions. Locals have dubbed them ‘zygia’ and they are a vital part of days-long celebrations of joyous events like weddings, fairs, engagements, christenings and more. The dancing activities of the people of Kissamos is abundant too, who stomp…
THE KISSAMOS DIET Kissamos locals, as do all Cretans, are traditionally gourmand and enjoy good, quality food. Their land’s trademark produce is the cornerstone of Mediterranean Diet. Local cuisine is, at its foundation, indigenous and the rule of thumb is the use of olive oil on every dish, with tomato and oregano assuming starring roles. The dietary habits of today’s locals are close to those in ancient times, something that is documented by inscriptions on Linear B tablets regarding cheese, olive oil, honey, wine, herbs and spices, meats and grain. Its basic features are simplicity, sparsity, making use of local and seasonal produce, all cooked with imaginative variation. OLIVE OIL No matter where you land on Crete, be it high…