Euboea, Oxilithos Festival

Built and embellished with icons at the end of the 13th century, the church of the Koimisis tis Theotokou (Assumption of the Virgin Mary) is of cultural and historical importance. The holy icon of the Assumption is kept in the church and, on the eve of the celebration, it is handed over to the care of a family in the village that has committed to stay up all night with the icon and return it to the church in the morning in time for the holy liturgy. This celebration takes place on the 15th of August, a week dedicated to celebration in honor of the Virgin Mary. On the day of the celebration, everyone gathers in the courtyard of the village’s Panagia Petriotissa church. Residents and visitors come to enjoy the locally cooked delicacies, such as the famous stifado, which is blessed by the Metropolitan of Kymi during the holy liturgy.

The meal is prepared in the traditional way in the courtyard of the church on the eve of the celebration. All the ingredients are donated by the villagers with the festival preparations coordinated by volunteers. Thousands of pilgrims participate in this event. At times, more than 170 cauldrons are used to prepare the food. (The same old custom takes place in Kalimerianoi and Potamia).

Some of the special local foods one can enjoy are the kourkubines or goglies. Other dishes include trahana, kokoras krasatos, lamb giouvetsi, shrimps saganaki, octopus in wine and spaghetti with fishfood. Also don’t miss out on the local deserts of Euboea, like baklava, amygdalota, dry figs, local honey pasteli, and homemade spoon sweets.

Photo: EVIAPORTAL