With a simple but touching ceremony, the ceremony was made official on Wednesday 1 September 2021 on the island of Antikythira, the twinning of the municipalities Kissamos and Kythira, following decisions by the 2 Municipal Councils. The twinning protocol was signed at the Office of the Community of Antikythera, the Mayor of Kissamos, Georgios Mylonakis and the Mayor of Kythera and Antikythera, Eustratios Charhalakis, in the presence of the Mayors of Chania, Panagiotis Simandirakis, Sfakion, Manousos Chiotakis and Gavdos, Lillian Stefanaki and the President of the Antikythera Community, George Harhalakis.
The Mayor of Kythera welcomed the mayors of Chania with their entourage at the port of Antikythera to the sounds of traditional Cretan instruments and then a Praise Service was held at the Holy Church of St. Charalambos Potamos chaired by His Eminence, Metropolitan of Kythera and Antikythera, Mr. Seraphim.
In his address, the Mayor of Kythera mentioned in detail the the long-standing ties of the small island with Western Crete, dating back to antiquity when Antikythera was a colony of the ancient Cretan city Falassarna and reach up to the present years, during which the Antikytherians as direct descendants of Cretan settlers of the 18th centuryno and 19no century, they keep alive the Cretan customs and traditions, the local folklore, the Cretan way of life. He particularly referred to the top event of the discovery by Kissamites of the Icon of Saint Myronos, the patron saint of Antikythera, in the middle of the 17no century, a fact of great historical importance for Antikythera as it is connected with the systematic occupation of the island by families from Western Crete.
The Mayor of Kissamos, George Mylonakis referred in particular to the cult of St. Myronos in Western Crete and in his turn, he also commemorated the ties of kinship between the two regions.
The Cretan guests were guided by Mr. Harhalakis around the island and were particularly informed about the ongoing work on the old monastery of St. Myronos, which is being carried out at the expense of Mr. Athanasios Martinos.
Between the Mayors they exchanged commemorative gifts, while during the official lunch provided by the Municipality of Kythera, His Eminence Seraphim made special mention of the program of gentle settlement of the island with 5 large families, through the support of the National Bank of Greece, suggesting that there should be support from the Municipalities of Chania Prefecture, so that the Cretan tradition in Antikythera can continue.
In the afternoon, His Eminence celebrated Vespers at the Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary and then the Cretan delegation departed by ferry for Kissamos, promising that the bonds of brotherhood between the two regions will become even stronger in the future.
At the event, all measures were taken to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.
Below is the speech of the Mayor of Kythera - Antikythera, Efstratios Harhalakis, at the twinning ceremony.
