EXCURSION TO KAISSARIANI & CUTTING OF THE VASILOPITA CAKE FOR THE THIRD AGE SECTOR
Caritas Athens organized a guided visit on Saturday, January 27th for the Third Age Sector and cut its vasilopita cake. The excursion included sightseeing to the Monastery of Kaissariani, the unique chapel of the Ascension, the Frankomonástiro atop of “Trellós” – as Hymettós is colloquially known – as well as hiking to its magnificent nature with the breath-taking view over Attica!
Fifty visitors, encouraged by the good weather, got to know the history of the Holy Monastery - dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin Mary - over the course of eons, through the superb description of Ms. Chryssa Kontogeorgopoulou, an archeologist and tour guide. They familiarized with the cooking and dining area and its spectacular brick-built, chimney-roof, the bathhouse and the famous fountain with the ram head, the locus where the monastery was originally erected (5th – 6th centuries).
The Monastery of Kaissariani is considered one of the most beautiful and significant monuments of the Byzantine era, erected in the 11th century on the relics of an ancient church dedicated to goddess Dimitra. It flourished, though, in the 12th and 13th centuries as a cultural and spiritual center. Its magnificent murals date back to the 16th century and the icon of Christ Pantocrator dominates its dome!
Later on, they visited Saint Mark’s lesser-known Catholic church, built during Francocracy – after which it took its name – the “Cemetery of Fathers”, the church dedicated to the Archangels (10th century) and the chapel of the Ascension - a concave, open building, abundant in tribute icons. Finally, they walked to the capital’s third mountain, with such a rich flora and fauna that it constitutes a significant natural habitat.
Then, they headed to the top of the “crazy mountain”, most probably an onomatopoeia of the French très long - too long - as certain foreign visitors called the mountain several ages ago, which in Greek turned into trellós, crazy. The breath-taking view over Athens compensated hikers who enjoyed the thick vegetation of cypresses, pines, almond trees, cedars, olive trees, carob trees, oaks, eucalyptus trees, even plane trees!
After admiring the region’s natural beauties, participants gathered in “Trata”, one of the better-known taverns at the central square of Kaissariani, for lunch. Caritas Athens President, the Most Reverend, Athens Catholic Archbishop, fr. Sevastianos Rossolatos cut the vasilopita cake of the Third Age Sector.
The new year’s lucky one who found the coin of the cake was Ms. Maurine Nassoufi from the local parish of Kallithea. Members of the Organization’s Administration Board, Ms. Helen Carabott - Communication, Public Relations & Third Age Officer - and Mr. Manolis Sigalas, offered her a symbolic gift.
Fifty visitors, encouraged by the good weather, got to know the history of the Holy Monastery - dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin Mary - over the course of eons, through the superb description of Ms. Chryssa Kontogeorgopoulou, an archeologist and tour guide. They familiarized with the cooking and dining area and its spectacular brick-built, chimney-roof, the bathhouse and the famous fountain with the ram head, the locus where the monastery was originally erected (5th – 6th centuries).
The Monastery of Kaissariani is considered one of the most beautiful and significant monuments of the Byzantine era, erected in the 11th century on the relics of an ancient church dedicated to goddess Dimitra. It flourished, though, in the 12th and 13th centuries as a cultural and spiritual center. Its magnificent murals date back to the 16th century and the icon of Christ Pantocrator dominates its dome!
Later on, they visited Saint Mark’s lesser-known Catholic church, built during Francocracy – after which it took its name – the “Cemetery of Fathers”, the church dedicated to the Archangels (10th century) and the chapel of the Ascension - a concave, open building, abundant in tribute icons. Finally, they walked to the capital’s third mountain, with such a rich flora and fauna that it constitutes a significant natural habitat.
Then, they headed to the top of the “crazy mountain”, most probably an onomatopoeia of the French très long - too long - as certain foreign visitors called the mountain several ages ago, which in Greek turned into trellós, crazy. The breath-taking view over Athens compensated hikers who enjoyed the thick vegetation of cypresses, pines, almond trees, cedars, olive trees, carob trees, oaks, eucalyptus trees, even plane trees!
After admiring the region’s natural beauties, participants gathered in “Trata”, one of the better-known taverns at the central square of Kaissariani, for lunch. Caritas Athens President, the Most Reverend, Athens Catholic Archbishop, fr. Sevastianos Rossolatos cut the vasilopita cake of the Third Age Sector.
The new year’s lucky one who found the coin of the cake was Ms. Maurine Nassoufi from the local parish of Kallithea. Members of the Organization’s Administration Board, Ms. Helen Carabott - Communication, Public Relations & Third Age Officer - and Mr. Manolis Sigalas, offered her a symbolic gift.
