Kathy Kallos — The Feast of Saint Savvas

The morning rays illuminated the town of Pothia below and the glassy waters of the Aegean mirrored the scattered clouds.

We reached the top of the hill early, to avoid the crowds and ensure our return would be smooth and punctual.

Heavy rain had hampered a full reconnaissance of the church grounds earlier in the week, but we were now making up for it as we marvelled at the island’s splendour below, on this perfect spring morning.

Decorative flags of religious and historic symbolism lined the pathway above, all the way to the top where the church bells were ringing for the Feast Day of Saint Savvas the New, the island’s patron saint.

The faithful came from every corner and beyond, to light candles and listen to the liturgy on this day of ecclesiastical splendour. The evening vespers and psalms had been held the night before and today the people were here to commemorate, praise and honour St Savvas, the glory and protector of Kalymnos.

One of the newest contemporary saints, Saint Savvas had come to Kalymnos in 1926, the same year as my father’s birth. He died in 1948, when my father was about to leave his village to serve his compulsory military term in northern Peloponnese.

It’s a wonder the stars, moons and holy spirits had aligned in Sydney only two months prior,  to unknowingly arrange for Father Savas of Saint Savvas Orthodox church to officiate at my father’s funeral. Our regular parish priest at Marrickville’s St Nicholas Orthodox church had been on leave.

 We sat on stools close to the back wall, listening to the hypnotic chanting coming from the many men in black robes whose deep and powerful humming voices reverberated throughout the church and the loudspeakers outside.

One by one, they kept coming. Elderly men and women, the not-so-old and the very young. Tall, handsome military lads in their khaki uniforms removing their black caps before doing the sign of the cross as they entered the church.

The woman sitting next to me was beaming with joy, clearly acknowledging a sense of occasion. She told me she’d lived in Tarpon Springs Florida for many years, but Kalymnos was now home. Her face lighting up even further when she proudly informed me the liturgy was being presided by Despot Paisios, of the three-island group — Kalymnos, Leros and Astypaleia. She went on to name each of the other high-ranking clergymen too.

The candles burned bright, flickering in rhythm,  the smell of wax and flame filling the warm air.

It was a moment now etched in eternal memory.

View of Pothia from church of Saint Savvas the New on his Feast Day.