CHURCH OF THE HOLY VIRGIN AT DRAPANO
("Panagia Drapaniotissa)

The church is located across Argostoli, bordering with the Cemetary. The Holy Theotokos Myrtydiotissa, patron of Argostoli, is popularly known as "Panagia at Drapano" or simply, "Drapaniotissa".

Her sacred icon is honored in a grand procession on September 24th which is attended by island officials, townspeople and clergy, and is accompanied by a live band. The procession ends up in St. Spyridon Church in Argostoli (in past years the procession ended up in the Church of Christ our Saviour and later on in the Argostoli Cathedral). The icon remains in the host parish for a week, after which it is returned to Drapano in the same festive way.

The procession (litany) has been observed through the centuries and, as documented in "The Cephalonian Historical Archives", the event was recognized as an official holiday.

This indicates that even the British "protectors" during their tyranical reign (1809-1864) on the island, respected and aknowledged "Drapaniotissa"
Pure luck on the other hand is to be recognized as the factor that helped preserve the church's works of art.

It may be enough to mention that the icons of the templon are hierographed by the renowned brush of the Zakynthian cleric Nikolaos Kantounis (1764-1834), who created this work during his exile to Dias Island by the British (on the grounds of Radicalism).

Among "Drapaniotissa's" treasures is an icon of Christ holding a whip and a reed which is associated with the Ionian struggle to be reunited with Greece. It was a family heirloom of the Cephalonian rebel leader Mikelis Davis-Mertzanis (1809-1888) who believed that Christ saved him from being hung by the British conquerors.

Spared from the devasting earthquake of 1953 were three more pieces of art. Almost intact remained the three temple portal panels in "Drapanianiotissa", considered among the masterpieces of the renowned agiographer Athanasios Anninos (1713-1748) who studied in Venice, Rome and Florence and was a student of the magnificent agiographer Andreas Karantinos. Had he not unfortunately died at the age of 35, he was certain to fill Cephalonian churches with his marvelous work, characterized by a Roman influence, soft hues and beauty of expression.