I read it newspaper article Kythiraika about the complete destruction of the church of Panagia Partheniotissa in Paliochora. And I was deeply saddened.
Not just because of this particular church—a Byzantine treasure whose frescoes and inscriptions have crumbled and turned to «dust.» But because this scene is no exception. It is the daily reality in dozens of chapels, Byzantine monuments, and medieval settlements on the island, such as Paliochora and Kato Chora in Mylopotamos.
Wherever you look, you see history succumbing to the ravages of time.
Small chapels with open doors, broken locks, frescoes weathered by time, and sagging roofs. On Kythira—the island that prides itself on its history—thousand-year-old monuments are crumbling to the ground.
And we can't just brush all this off with a «it's not my fault.».
We don't lack studies. What we lack is the will.
Journalist Manolis Kalligeros points out that since 2014, articles had been written, appeals had been made, and authorities had been notified. No one took any notice.
And it's true:
If we post a lifestyle photo or a picture of a celebrity who arrived on the island by yacht, everything goes viral. But if we see a 13th-century mural falling apart, there’s silence. Indifference kills faster than time.
What can we do now—not “some other time”?”
1. Documentation — a digital «Map of Endangered Monuments»
Identify all monuments at risk (chapels, bridges, settlements, murals). This can be done within a few days with a group of volunteers.
2. Immediate protection against further damage
We are not calling for the «restoration of the Parthenon.» We are simply asking for canopies, fastening, so that they don't fall any further. Sometimes, rescue is enough to prevent the situation from getting worse.
3. Collaboration with Universities and the Archaeological Service
There are conservation labs looking for objects to work on as part of their training. What we might dismiss as «old» and leave to its fate, others would consider a topic worthy of a doctoral dissertation.
4. Funding Programs
The National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), the ministry, the metropolitan archdiocese, the municipality, and cultural institutions can join forces and apply for funding. The money is there, There is no vision.
5. The «Monument Adoption» Program»
Schools, clubs, and businesses should adopt a monument and look after it. We need an active community that will take care of its local area.
When a monument is lost, it is not simply a collection of stones and inert materials that is lost. Memory is lost. And a place without memory becomes a place without identity. As journalist Manolis Kalligeros writes in his article in *Kythiraika*: «A people without memory has no future.» A phrase that could spark a great deal of debate, but at the same time could also inspire us to take action.
On Kythira, we have something unique: monuments and cultural treasures that aren’t found in museums, but on the path you walk. It's a shame that we are the last generations to have seen them crumble and done nothing about it.
Kythira isn't just a destination. It is Story. And history calls on us to protect it—before it turns to dust.
Read the article by M. Kalligerou at the link below:
https://www.kythiraika.gr/panagia-partheniotissa-pos-afisame-na-katastrafei-enas-istorikos-naos-ton-kythiron/
An excellent commentary. If we truly believe in tourism’s contribution to the country’s economy—and if we don’t want to end up like Thailand or Dubai—we must immediately take an interest in our history, our monuments, and our traditions, and preserve as much as we can. Otherwise, tourists will head for other lands and other places, and by then it will be too late…
”What is the local community doing? ... Isn’t all of this the ”wealth’ of the people of Kythira? ... Shouldn’t they be vigilant about all of this? ... Are only the pilgrimage sites that generate revenue of interest? ......Kythira has the privilege of managing its own resources... it also has a pool of educated people...
They have the power to protect the island and its wealth without, perhaps, having to “beg” the central government—which, as we all know, is unlikely to respond.
The government should allocate domestic resources to protect the monuments.