Our guest this week
is mystery author Jeffrey Siger, whose work has been called “prophetic” by the
Greek Press. Eurocrime described him as a “very gifted American
author...on a par with other American authors such as Joseph Wambaugh or Ed
McBain,” and the City of San Francisco awarded him its Certificate of Honor
citing that his “acclaimed books have not only explored modern Greek society
and its ancient roots but have inspired political change in Greece.” Target: Tinos, the fourth novel in his Chief
Inspector Andreas Kaldis series, earned a starred review by Publishers
Weekly, following up on his internationally
best-selling Murder in Mykonos, Assassins of Athens, and Prey on Patmos: An Aegean Prophecy. Born
in Pittsburgh, Jeffrey practiced law at a major Wall Street law firm and
established his own New York City law firm before giving it all up to live and
write on the island of Mykonos. He blogs on Saturdays at Murder is Everywhere and can also be found at www.jeffreysiger.com.
I
don’t know how many of you are familiar with the Greek island of Tinos, the
fourth largest of the Cycladic islands (and also the setting for my just
released fourth Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis mystery, TARGET TINOS (Poisoned
Pen Press). It sits with its looming high-ridged backbone and mountain peaks
often lost in clouds just a few miles across the Aegean Sea from my front porch
on the island of Mykonos.
Church of the Annunciation |
If
you have heard of Tinos it’s probably because of the Church of the Annunciation
(Panagia Evangelistria) and the more
than one million pilgrims who flock there each year seeking to invoke the
healing powers of its Miraculous Icon of the Virgin Mary (the Megalochari). As perhaps the most
revered religious shrine in Greece, it’s only natural that it’s known as the
“Lourdes of Greece.”
Most
who come to Tinos are only aware of the Church and its surrounding harbor town.
But for those who venture out onto the island, there are serious surprises in
store. Fifty villages as quiet and undisturbed as a dreamer’s quaint fantasy of
Greece; brilliant vistas at every turn; a meandering two-hundred-mile network
of cobblestone trails and old farm paths running from hillside to hillside and
dipping into valleys in between; and a history of fabled marble quarries and
artisans linked to some of Greece’s greatest artistic achievements.
In
ancient times, a temple to the Greek god Dionysus stood on the present day site
of the Church. When Christianity came to the Cyclades, the temple was
transformed into a Christian church dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Saint John
the Precursor. It was in those early Byzantine years that the Holy Icon of the Megalochari
came to the island to be kept and venerated within that church.
Tinos hillside vista |
But
the Megalochari dated back to long before Byzantine times. It belonged to the
early Christian era and those who studied it unanimously concluded that it was
one of the first three icons painted by the apostle Saint Luke during the
lifetime of the Holy Virgin. Many believe the Megalochari received its
wonder-working power directly from the Holy Virgin herself, who blessed it with
the words, “The grace of him who was borne by me, be through me with it.”
In
the mid-10th century, Saracen pirates invaded Tinos, burned and leveled the
church, and the holy icon vanished. Nine centuries later, in July 1822, a nun
named Pelagia (later sainted) from a monastery northeast of the main port town
had three recurring, consecutive Sunday visions of the Holy Virgin instructing
her to convince her superiors to order digging at a specific place where they
would find the missing holy icon and that they must build a church to the Holy
Virgin.
Although
her superiors believed the nun, excavations did not start until September. Within
a matter of days the ruins of the ancient temple were discovered, but as more
days wore on without finding the Megalochari, the islanders lost heart and work
stopped. Soon after, a great cholera epidemic struck the island, killing
hundreds. The townspeople were frightened, believing they’d brought the
epidemic on themselves by not following the Holy Virgin’s instructions. They
prayed for forgiveness, resumed excavations, and began rebuilding a church on
the unearthed ruins.
Typical Tinos village |
On
January 30, 1823, a laborer discovered the Holy Icon of the Megalochari by
splitting it in two with his shovel. On one half was the Virgin Mary and on the
other half the Archangel Gabriel. It had been buried for almost 850 years, yet
when found was virtually undamaged. And as was recorded by historians of the
time, from the moment the holy icon was discovered no more cases of the epidemic
were reported and those suffering with the disease recovered.
The
people of Tinos decided to build an additional church much larger than the one
they’d started, and work immediately began on what would become the magnificent
Church of Panagia Evangelistria. Construction of the church and part of the
surrounding complex was completed in less than eight years, virtually all during
Greece’s War of Independence with Turkey while Tinos operated a wartime port,
sent its young off to fight alongside other Greeks, and struggled to feed thousands
of refugees fleeing there from other islands.
The
founders of the Church were forward thinkers and established it as part of a
legal entity separate and distinct from the Greek Church, a status confirmed by
an act of the Greek state in 1835 and a royal decree in 1851. That entity, known
simply as the Evangelistria Foundation is administered by a ten-member
commission under the supervision and control of the Greek state, not the Greek
Church. Employees, including the Church’s clergy, are appointed by the
commission and paid out of the Foundation’s treasury.
Tinos sea vista |
The
Foundation derives its income mainly from donations, the performance of ritual
celebrations and rites, legacies from deceased donors, the sale of offerings,
and rents from properties. Its wealth and influence has led some to call the
Foundation, “The Vatican of Greece.”
On
Tinos, virtually every major public works project, from creation of the
island’s first water distribution network in 1926 to the erection of its power
plant and high-tension distribution system, the new port and quay, and most
public roads, owe their existence to the largess of the Foundation. As do the
island’s needy, sick, aged, and indigent, and virtually all of Tinos’ church
organizations and parishes. But the Foundation’s influence extends far beyond
the island, for the Foundation is a significant voluntary contributor to Greek clergy
pensions and insurance funds, churches across Greece affected by calamities, and
missionary activities outside of Greece. It has also supported the State of Greece
in times of national emergency and war, and as well as others beyond Greece’s
borders affected by the same.
Some
might say that one of the greatest miracles of Tinos is how the Foundation has
been able to maintain such relative anonymity with all that it does, albeit
behind the scenes. After all, there are a million pilgrims each year, many
crawling the steep half-mile up from the harbor to the Church carrying
offerings and pushing before them candles they vowed to light to the holy icon.
And each August 15th Tinos is a madhouse filled with gypsies and pilgrims from
around the world celebrating the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin with its
parade of the holy icon down from the Church into the harbor in a procession
filled with religious dignitaries, government officials, military, and police. Still,
few know about all that the Foundation does.
And
the Foundation likes it that way. Especially the part about its vast hidden
treasures.
But
that’s another story. One for which Target: Tinos received a starred review
from Publishers Weekly calling it
“superb…a winner.”
Jeffrey, you've made this Greek island so enticing with its history and those gorgeous photos. How lucky your are to see such a lovely view every day from your front porch! Makes me wonder - how on earth do you get any writing done? Thanks for sharing this special place with us today.
ReplyDeleteOh boy, what a fascinating premise for your new mystery novel! Can't wait to read more about Tinos and the Foundation.... sounds ripe for all kinds of conspiracy theories! Thanks for taking us to this part of the world, Jeff. Need a research assistant? I travel light...
ReplyDelete