Kefalonia is the first island I ever visited in Greece, and throughout my entire stay, I was in complete awe. Kefalonia is a highly touristic area, however, I did manage to speak to a handful of citizens from the island. They told me that “Μ’αυτά τα πλούτη που έχει η Ελλάδα, οι άνθρωποι θα πρέπει να εργάζονταν μόνο έξι μήνες το χρόνο”. “With the riches Greece has, the people should only be working six months a year”.
Kefalonia
Aside from the breathtaking sceneries in the island, Kefalonia also has a rich history. In 2001, the Hollywood film Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, starring Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz, was shot on Kefalonia. During the Second World War, the island was occupied by Italian soldiers whom resisted the German authorities. When Italy surrendered in 1943, the Italian troops refused to leave the island. The film recognizes the Kefalonia Massacre, referring to the mass execution of Italian soldiers in Kefalonia by the Germans.
Agios Gerasimos Monastery
During my stay, I visited the Saint (Agios) Gerasimos Monastery, which is considered to be the holiest place in Kefalonia. The monastery is named after Agios Gerasimos, the island’s patron saint. Inside the church, there is a sarcophagus that is believed to hold Saint Gerasimo’s relics. Agios Gerasimos is believed to have lived in the area beneath the church, which can only be accessed through a large hole people descend with a ladder. The Agios Gerasimos Monastery has become a common place of pilgrimage, as well as one which many people gather together to every year in order to commemorate the saint. Many individuals travel to the Monastery for the sole purpose of praying to Agios Gerasimos due to the fact that he is known as the miraculous healer of mental illnesses. During my bracelet, my grandmother brought along bracelets, necklaces and icons in order to have them blessed.