A tall white-washed shrine that looks like a miniature church proudly stands in front of the entrance leading up to my grandfather’s home. It is located in our quaint little village in Greece and was built by my loving parents 35 years ago.
This beautiful eikonostasi was constructed in order to commemorate the two Saints that our village is named after, Saint Cosmas and Saint Daminanos, in Greek named Agoi Anargiroi. To honor the memory of these Saints who help heal the sick and wounded, the shrine provides a moment of prayer and an unbound connection with our Greek Orthodox faith.
A flickering candle lights up in front of the icon of the “miracle-workers,” as they are portrayed, inside the shrine. People drive by it and stop to open its tiny glass doors, to re-light a candle or lantern that lives inside. They light a new candle, do their cross and kiss the icon whilst praying for the saints to guide over them and their loved ones.
Greece is full of these small eikonostasis, which are usually placed near a roadside where travelers can stop and rest. They provide a moment of prayer and thanks to the saints that are close to our hearts.
In the month of July, I celebrate the patron saints of my paternal grandparents’ village, Agoi Anargiri. In my heart, I always keep the blissful memory of our picturesque eikonostasi, built in 1980 by Stavros Pantelidis and Elizabeth Vasiliadis-Pantelidis, in the village of Agioi Anargiroi, Kozani, Greece.
