Perivolaki: Parish Church, Chapel and Icon

In Perivolaki, the parish church, a chapel inside it and the icon of Panagia Evaggelistria are among the town’s religious landmarks. To understand them, it is helpful not to conflate these aspects. The parish church is dedicated to the Holy Mother of God and Saints Cyril and Methodius; the chapel has its own, more specific dedication. In addition, the icon is venerated as miraculous in Perivolaki, Lagkadas. The church, chapel and icon each illuminate different aspects of Perivolaki’s religious heritage.

Parish Church and Chapel

The chapel is located inside the parish church and is dedicated to the Annunciation to the Mother of God. This name refers to the Annunciation to Mary; the parish church’s dedication names the Holy Mother of God and, additionally, Cyril and Methodius. This makes it possible to distinguish two aspects precisely: the dedication of the parish church as a whole and the chapel’s own dedication within the same building. Anyone interested in the religious history of the area will find a concrete distinction here between the two ecclesiastical landmarks.

Icon and Celebration in 2013

The venerated icon of Panagia Evaggelistria also offers a distinct way to explore Perivolaki’s religious heritage. An icon is a religious image; in this case, it is Panagia Evaggelistria, which is venerated as miraculous. This distinguishes the icon from the church’s and chapel’s dedications: it is not another church space, but a venerated image located in Perivolaki, Lagkadas. This very icon was scheduled to be carried in a procession as part of the 2013 celebration. In this way, the church, chapel and icon can be understood as three distinct landmarks without assigning them the same function.

The program for the celebration in Perivolaki on Saturday, July 27, 2013, included a solemn Vespers service at 8 p.m. It was to be presided over by Ioannis, Metropolitan of Lagkadas, Liti and Rentina. A procession with the icon through the village was then scheduled for 9:15 p.m. The sequence is clearly dated: first Vespers, followed by the procession with the image through Perivolaki. Both program items belong to that Saturday in 2013 and describe the planned schedule for this particular celebration.

The date helps distinguish historical information from travel planning. The 8 p.m. Vespers service and the 9:15 p.m. procession were part of the 2013 program, not a general schedule. For travelers interested in a celebration, the program therefore offers a time-specific glimpse of that occasion. If you are planning your trip around an event, check the date separately for your intended travel period.

For the broader travel guide: Thessaloniki.