Psara
Population: 458 (2011)
ISLAND OVERVIEW
Psara is a solitary little, barren island 16 kms (10 miles) WNW from Chios in the Eastern Aegean. It is the largest island in a cluster (also known as Psara) of seven small islands, Psara is the only inhabited island. The island has a rocky terrain filled with hills and mountains.
The economy is based on fishing the local slipper lobster and some tourism. Psara is the only village on the island which does not have many tourist amenities, except for some snack bars, cafes, and rooms to let. There is no public transport and no cell phone service on the island.
There are several historical places to explore on the island including the Mavri Rachi, the Church of Agios Nikolaos, built in 1793, and the Monastery of the Dormition of Virgin Mary, with its rare manuscripts and religious books.
Psara can be accessed by ferry from Chios town and from Limnia, the port of Volissos. There is also a ferry which connects Piraeus (Athens) with Chios and Lesvos that stops in Psara.
The Island & Its History
click image to view in Google Maps
Psara has been inhabited since ancient times and the site for many important historical events.
In June 1824, Psara faced a great tragedy. The Ottoman Turks had invaded and destroyed the island in retaliation for blowing up the ship of a Turkish Admiral. The resistance of the Psariots ended with the last stand at the town’s old fort of Palaiokastro. Hundreds of soldiers, women and children had taken refuge there when a Turkish force of 2000 stormed the fort. The locals put out a white flag with the words “Freedom or Death” then when the Turks continued to enter the fort, the local, Antonios Vratsanos, lit a fuse to the gunpowder stock. The explosion killed the town’s inhabitants and their enemies.
A French officer who heard and saw the explosion compared it to a volcanic eruption of Vesuvius. Some survivors managed to escape, but most of them were killed or sold into slavery, and the island was deserted until the First Balkan War in 1912 when it was returned to Greece.
Prayer Points
- The people on the island will realize their need for God and their eyes will be opened to the truth and love of God through reading the Bible for themselves.
- The Lord will work in the lives of all the God-fearing religious people already living on this island, and bring healing & refreshment to their lives.
ADOPT THIS ISLAND
If you are committed to praying for this island and its region, please drop us a note, we would love to know about it and keep you posted with prayer updates!
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