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 Location |
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Ithaca is the fifth largest island of the Ionian Islands. It lies south of Lefkada, north-east of Kefalonia. It is an island that combines mountains and sea in a very beautiful and natural way.
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 Population |
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According to the census of 2001, Ithaca's population is about 3.052 inhabitants. There has been a reduction of the population since last century. Many Ithacans are sailors or immigrants that live in foreign countries.
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 History |
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Mythology: The island took its name from Ithacus, son of Poseidon and Amphimele. Another tradition has it that Ithacus was the son of Pterelaus. When he grew up, Ithacus came to the island with his two brothers, Neritus and Polyctor, whose names were given to two mountains of the island.
It is also believed that the name of the island comes from the Phoenician word "Utica", which means 'distant colony', or from the word "Ithys", which means 'cheerful'. Other names were given to the island as well, such as Nericie, The Valley of the Godfather, Antikefalonia, Ithraka Island, Thrakonisos etc.
History: Ithaca's history begins many years ago, since it has been found that in 1500 B.C., the island was the capital of a great state. Later on, Dorian invaders conquered the island, while a bit later Corinthians took it under their control. Afterwards, the Romans occupied the island until 300 A.D., when it became part of the Byzantine Empire. In around 1185 A.D., the Normands occupied Ithaca. Then, pirates Orsini took the rule of the island and right afterwards the Tocco family got the control of it. In 1479, and for the next 25 years, the island fell into the hands of Turks until the time the Venetians conquered it. Later on, the island was conquered by the French, the Russian army in alliance with the Turks and finally the English, until 21st May 1864, when it was finally united with the rest of Greece.
Modern Times:
1. During World War II, in 1941, the Italians conquered the island and in 1943, the German occupation began.
2. Ithaca, in her whole history, has been stricken many times by earthquakes. The earthquake of 1648, is considered as the most violent of all. There were other earthquakes in 1766, in 1876 as well as between 1912 and 1918. Great disaster caused the earthquake of 1953, when the whole island was almost flattened
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 Religion |
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This topic is not island-specific. It applies to the nation of Greece.
Orthodox Christianity is the recognized dominant religion of Greece and it is legally protected by the state. This has caused legal discrimination against non-Orthodox Churches, and although the constitution of 1975 removed the power of most of the old laws against Protestants, problems still exist today. There is a lot of fear towards anything outside of the Orthodox Church, especially on the islands. However, repeated rulings of the European Court of Justice in favour of religious minorities in cases of discrimination have led to a relative increase of the freedoms that these religious minorities now enjoy.
Ancient Gods
Various excavations, made in "Loizus Cave", prove that in the cave there was a holy place, where Odysseus was being worshipped as demigod, as well as other goddesses like Artemis, Athena, Hera, and the Nymphs. The temple of Artemis has been also found in Vathy, the capital of the island.
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Spiritual awareness of the island's inhabitants
Workers for spreading the message of God's love to local people
Church planting
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 Miscellaneous |
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Tourism: Due to the fact that Ithaca is one of the smallest Ionian Islands and access to it is a little bit difficult, tourism is not as much developed as in the rest of the islands.
Economy: Since last century, there has been an economical growth and development. Ithaca's economy is mainly based on fishing, on the production of olive oil and wine as well as on tourism.
Sightseeing: The cave of the Nymphs, the place where Odysseus, returning from Troy hid the gifts of Phaecians, is one of the most significant sightseeing of the island. There are also archeological museums in Vathy and Stavros. One could also visit the monastery of Virgin Mary (Panagia) Kathara, which attracts thousands of pilgrims each year
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 Celebrations |
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8TH September: The monastery of the Panagia (Virgin Mary) Kathara is the pilgrimage of the island. Many holy relics are being kept in it. The monastery attracts thousands of pilgrims each year.
15th August: Each year, Panagia (Virgin Mary) is celebrated. A festival takes place with amusement and dances.
5-6th August: The celebration of Sotiras (Savior) lasts two days
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 Resources |
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www.greektravel.com
www.in2greece.com
www.levendisestate.com
www.ithaca.com.gr
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