In the village’s small square are three windmills, the trademark of Paros. The wonderful village houses, as well as the paved alleyways, were built in the 16th and 17th centuries. Marpissa’s metropolis is dedicated to the Transfiguration of Christ. Being a cruciform basilica with a dome, the church was built in 1960 and celebrates with festival events on August 6th. Marpissa is perched atop a small hill, the centre of which is dominated by the church.
All residents as well as numerous visitors participate with religious solemnity to the festivals of Paros, attending vespers and, following the divine liturgy, contribute in their own way to the feast. Some bring the traditional alcoholic beverage, souma, or wine while others bring pies, revithada, or other delicacies they have prepared before at home and the festival culminates with feasting, dancing and singing that goes on for many hours.
The most famous Parian dishes are the kakavia, gouna (salted sun-dried fish), salatouri, kolokythokeftedes, tomatokeftedes, chickpeas in the oven, ambelofassoula, fava, karavoli, kalfa with skordalia. The cheeses are also exceptional. Xinomizithra, ladotiri, brine cheese, touloumisio and mizithra, combined with paximadi, and kritharokouloures. Housewives make spoon sweet, rafiolia, mizithropitakia, lambrokouloura, lazarakia, petimezenia (cookies using petimezi instead of sugar) and skaltsounia as well as the traditional alcoholic beverage souma.
Photo: eparos.blogspot.com
