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 Location |
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Lesvos (commonly known also as Mytilini) is approximately five miles from the shores of Turkey. It is located north of Chios and south east of Limnos and Aghios Efstratios. With a surface of 1,630 sq. km and 370 km of beaches, Lesvos is the third largest island in the Aegean Archipelagos behind Crete, and Evia.
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 Population |
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The approximated total population is 105.200 people.
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 History |
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Lesvos, rich in Mythology and Ancient History, was one of the great cultural centers of the Greek world. Its classical history is evident from its abundance of poets, musicians, philosophers and its lawgivers. Lesvos' economic and cultural life however, came to a halt, when the island was taken into Turkish occupation in the 1600's. In the hearts of Lesvos' inhabitants though, there was still a hope for an ethnic revival. The Greek navy, led by Admiral P. Koundouriotis, in November 1912, liberated this island.
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 Religion |
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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. |
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 Saints |
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The main Saints that are worshipped on this island are; St. John, St. Panteleimon, St. Nikolas, Agia Triada, St. George and St. Demitrios.
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 Prayer |
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Please pray:
* For a general awakening to the truth
* That outreach will enable the gospel to be spread
* That people will realize their need for God
* That their eyes will be opened to the truth, love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ
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 Miscellaneous |
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Lesvos is basically unaffected by the mass of tourism that effect the other islands. So, its visitors have the opportunity to experience 'real' Greece. Lesvos is known for the long-lasting relationship between man and olive trees. It is said that it is very difficult to really say if the man tamed the olive trees or the other way around.
Lesvos' economy is mainly based on the cultivation of its rich resources
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 Celebrations |
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Lesvos has a variety of celebrations, in honor of their Saints. The most interesting and vivid of these celebrations are on the 20th July, to honor Profitis Ilias (the Prophet Elijah), and on the 27th of July in honor of Saint Panteleimon. The biggest of all though, is on the 15th of August, in honor of the Virgin Mary's Assumption.
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 Resources |
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www.greektravel.com
www.in2greece.com
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