Celebration of the Transfiguration of the Savior

In the week of the Festival of the Savior, a silver icon of the Virgin Mary is transferred to the Cathedral of Metamorphosis from the Monastery of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary (Kimisis tis Theotokou). The residents start on foot from Chora at midnight on July 31 and end up at the Monastery. They pick up the icon there at dawn and return to Chora, placing it in the church after their pilgrimage. The icon is returned to the Monastery on foot (via paths), mainly carried by local youths, on August 6. Once the icon has been returned, chickpeas are offered to the pilgrims (due to the fasting for the August 15th holiday). The chickpeas are cooked in very large pots and served in the monastery’s dining room.