 Location |
|
Angistri is located 17km south of Piraeus (1hour by ferry) it is a small island, which lies off Aegina’s west coast, opposite Perdika and is famous for its lovely sandy beaches.
|
 Population |
|
Approximately 530.
|
 History |
|
The meaning of the word “Angistri” means hook and to this day no one is sure of its origin. Angistri formed part of the kingdom of Aegina, in ancient times under the mythical King Aeakos.
In recent times Angistri became a haven for refugees from Albania. Albanian influences can still be seen today in the dress code of many of the older women: long colourful dresses and headscarves etc.
Angistri however, has not always been inhabited! At the end of the 17th century it appears to have been deserted and the reason was due to frequent pirate raids (its small size made it very vulnerable) and also the island lacked water, which made it difficult for a sizeable population to establish itself.
The population increased in the 1900’s and today its population is approximately 1000, and water still has to be brought in by a tanker!
The islands main products used to be pine resin, olive oil, figs, barley and fruit but today the economy is based on tourism rather than on agriculture.
|
 Religion |
|
This topic is not island-specific. It applies to the nation of Greece.
Orthodox Christianity is the recognized dominant religion of Greece and it is legally protected by the state. This has caused legal discrimination against non-Orthodox Churches, and although the constitution of 1975 removed the power of most of the old laws against Protestants, problems still exist today. There is a lot of fear towards anything outside of the Orthodox Church, especially on the islands. However, repeated rulings of the European Court of Justice in favour of religious minorities in cases of discrimination have led to a relative increase of the freedoms that these religious minorities now enjoy.
|
|
 Saints |
|
Most of the saints are honoured on this island and the Orthodox Church is highly respected.
|
 Prayer |
|
That the outreach will enable the gospel of salvation to be shared
-That the people on the island will realize their need for God and their eyes will be opened to the truth and love of God through reading the Bible for themselves.
-That God will work in the lives of all the God-fearing people already living on this island, and bring healing & refreshment to their lives.
|
 Miscellaneous |
|
The coast either side of the ferry quay is the most attractive part.
There is a bus route from Skala to the ‘capital’ of the island Limenaria, which is not very touristy, so it’s a good place to meet the locals.
There are regular boat trips to Angistri from Aegina Town and from Piraeus
Angistri is the smallest of the Saronic islands, the greenest, the most picturesque and also the least developed. Thus being described as the best kept secret of the Saronic Gulf.
|
 Celebrations |
|
The celebrations on the islands usually revolve around the Saints, and there is a big celebration at Easter in the Orthodox Church.
|
 Resources |
|
www.greektravel.com
www.in2greece.com
http://www.epicurus-travel.com/partners/angistri/info/indexeng.html
http://www.epicurus-travel.com/partners/angistri/info/indexeng.html
http://www.imstudies.gr/Angistri/
www.harrys-60-greek-islands-guide.com
www.worldtravelgate.org
|
