Regardless of which legend holds true, one element remains consistent: the coastal path at the edge of Xirokampos leads to a breathtaking setting, where a small church is nestled among the rocks. It’s easy to imagine that the image could have been guarded by large crabs at the time of its discovery – one need only observe the rugged landscape, particularly at sunset, to be transported back in time.
The humble interior of the church contrasts with the wild rocks upon which Panagia was built. The cramped space barely accommodates an adult, being primarily dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who occupies the central position. Despite its simplicity, the chapel exudes a sense of reverence, mirroring the devotion of the fishermen who honored the icon, the faithful who have prayed there over the centuries, and the awe one experiences when visiting places rich with stories and legends.
The chapel features a truly distinctive depiction of the Virgin Mary inside a large crab, making it the only known portrayal of Mary with this motif. Naturally, this peculiarity is accompanied by an intriguing backstory. Two main legends have been passed down through the collective memory regarding the origin of the image. In the first tale, a fisherman from Kalymnos caught the icon in his net along with shells and crabs. Soon after, the Virgin Mary appeared to him in a dream, urging him to return the icon to its original location and construct a small church there, which he did. In another version, a local fisherman discovered the image after being injured by a crab’s claws. As he peered between the rocks, he saw the icon guarded by crabs. After praying for his hand to heal, he returned the icon to his village. However, that same night, the Virgin Mary appeared to him in a vision and asked him to return the icon to where he had found it. Miraculously, the icon disappeared from the village the next morning, reappearing at its original location, where the locals then built the small chapel.
Regardless of which legend holds true, one element remains consistent: the coastal path at the edge of Xirokampos leads to a breathtaking setting, where a small church is nestled among the rocks. It’s easy to imagine that the image could have been guarded by large crabs at the time of its discovery – one need only observe the rugged landscape, particularly at sunset, to be transported back in time.
The humble interior of the church contrasts with the wild rocks upon which Panagia was built. The cramped space barely accommodates an adult, being primarily dedicated to the Virgin Mary, who occupies the central position. Despite its simplicity, the chapel exudes a sense of reverence, mirroring the devotion of the fishermen who honored the icon, the faithful who have prayed there over the centuries, and the awe one experiences when visiting places rich with stories and legends.
