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From time to time, the Association organizes trips to the unforgettable
home of Kappadokia. In this way it gives the new generations
the opportunity to learn and helps the older people to revive
their memories. The first trips took place in 1980 and in 1981.
After a span of several years, we repeated our trip in 2000.
Journey to
the Unforgettable Homelands, 2000
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This year, members of the Association of Kappadokes
of Evros prefecture together with representatives of the
associations of Mistiotes from Mavrolofos (area of Volos),
Larisa, Konitsa and Volos carried out a journey throughout
the memorable homes. We set off on August 26th On our
way up to Ikonio we were impressed by ancient Pergamos,
Troy, Smyrna and Efessos. However, nothing was able to
relieve our anxiety to reach our destination, Kappadokia,
the place that all of us try hard to make known.
Leaving behind Ikonio, the heart of Islam with the grand
mosque of Mevlana ( known as dervishes) the sense that
Greece was extending in front of our eyes. |
| Countless greek houses belonging to a different era,
situated one next to the other, formed complete quarters.
They were undamaged exactly as our ancestors abandoned
them with the name and the date of their construction
inscribed on the front gate just Pike a blazon. Today
they are inhabited by the Turks. Between the Greek and
Turkish houses our churches stand out impressively. Their
interior has been whitened and violated but they are always
there ready to protect anything that is Greek. There is
not even a single town or village without at least one
church. Further on we met the first carved rocks of Eskiz
Gioumouz. Here you understand the agony of our descendants
to protect themselves digging the soft rock as deeply
as they could.In the center of the area stretches the
impressive valley of Kappadokia with 3.000 sculptured,
and religiously painted monasteries. |
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The rocks of Kappadokia, like huge mushrooms, cover
a vast land and the holes in these rocks make them look
like pigeon lofts. Enjoying every part of this magic landscape
we eventually reached the villages of our grandparents:
Misti and Tsarikli. Strange to say but we had the feeling
that we had seen them before. Facing our grandparents'
Houses we recalled that Valavanis named them "Maniates
of the east". A village which today has three mosques
but it is the unique church that stands out in the distance
because of its huge size. This church of saint Vasilios
comes second in the size comparing to the famous temple
of Agia Sofia in Constantinople. It is true that you can't
help feeling proud of it. It was built in 1844. |
Nowadays, you can notice how the holy icons have been
scraped but the church itself is still there determined
not to permit the time to leave its marks. We were truly
excited and we almost burst into tears as everybody chanted
some of our favorite hymns
The Mayor of Misti gave his word that he will do everything
to restore the temple. The villagers, friendly and hospitable,
walked with us and showed us whatever has remained of
the houses and the tombs of our ancestors. We experienced
the same attitude of the people in "Tsarikli"
which used to de a colony of Misti. However, what hurt
us most of all was the conversion of the church of Saint
Georgios into a mosque |
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As a matter of fact, our journey in Kappadokia cannot
be described on a piece of paper.
Although it came to an end on September 8th our hearts
remained there, on the holy earth ofour unforgettable
Fatherlands. It is certain that we will be talking about
our impressions and feelings for a long time and we share
the promise that one day we will meet again all together
in the sacred land of Kappadokia.
Our target is that a lot of you , who are interested in
the roots and traditions of a land which cannot be forgotten
will be with us in our next journey.
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| From this point you will be able to get
the information you need in order to organize your participation |
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