Day 7, The Castle of Skyros

The Castle of Skyros, at the highest point of the town of Skyros, on a rock where, according to legend, the ancient acropolis and the seat of King Lycomedes were situated offers breathtaking views and the chance to travel in times bygone.

Here, Saint George invites the visitor on a holy retreat:

The monastery was closed when we visited, bad planning on our part. I was disappointed, as I was excited to see the much talked about icons and offerings at the monastery church.

Saint George is the patron saint of the island, and the Holy Monastery of Saint George stands next to the castle, at the top of the town of Skyros. It a affiliated with the famous Monastery of Megisti Lavra on Mount Athos.

Votive offerings are common and in display in Greek Orthodox churches, and the medal of Olympic champion Spyridon Louis, is among the offerings to Saint George in the monastery. Spyridon Louis was a 24-year-old Greek water seller who became the hero of the 1896 Games when he won the 40,000m marathon race. This was the event the Greek hosts wanted to win more than any other due to its great historical significance. BTW, in case you have not come across it, a water seller is a profession that existed before the advent of centralized water supply systems. A water carrier collected water from a source (a river, a well, water pumps, etc.) and transported or carried containers with water to people's homes

So much still to see……