President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou visited the Panagia Soumela Monastery in Kastania, Imathia on Sunday, and the historic icon for which the monastery is named, ANA reports. She was met by the Metropolitan of Veria, Naoussa, and Kampania Panteleimon and the head of the ‘Panagia Soumela Association Giorgos Tanimanidis, who showed her around the monastery, the museum of relics from Trebizond, the monastery’s guest house and the Melissanidio Hall.
They also outlined the history of the icon, which originated at the historic monastery of Trebizond in the Black Sea and was rescued by monks during the Asia Minor disaster of 1922. It was taken to the Byzantine Museum in Athens in 1931 and then transferred to Kastania in Imathia in 1951, where it is celebrated every 15th of August.
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