Panagia Lagouvarda or Fidoussa, Markopoulo, Kefalonia >>> August 15th Holy Dormition
The church of Panagia Lagouvarda or Fidoussa (of the snakes) is located on the mountainside village of Markopoulo around 30km from Argostoli. The church is renowned throughout the Orthodox world for the icon which depicts the Holy Theotokos with small snakes.
The small snakes visit every year between the 6th and 15th of August, the Feast of the Holy Dormition of the Theotokos. They can be picked up and touched. They have a velvet like skin, their heads and the tip of their tongues have the form of small crosses. They do not fear humans and are friendly. Pilgrims also bring snakes to the church in bags or jars and place them near the Icon of the Holy Theotokos for a blessing.
The submission of the snakes to the grace of the Holy Theotokos is a miraculous phenomenon. They enter the church and climb up to the Icon of the Holy Theotokos.
The appearance of the snakes has occurred annually since they first appeared many centuries ago, apart from two particular years, 1940 the year before the German occupation of Greece and 1953 the year of the devastating Ioanian earthquake.
Tradition decrees that centuries ago the nuns who lived on the site were terrorised by looting pirates, they prayed to the Holy Theotokos for protection and she responded. When the pirates reached the temple they were met by hundreds of hissing snakes. The pirates panicked and ran away.
Rejoice O Holy Virgin Theotokos.

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