All about Zakynthos

The festival in Maries takes place on July 22, the feast day of St. Mary Magdalene. Then, apart from the religious ritual with the vespers, the matins and the artoklasia, there is also a popular festival in the courtyard of the church of the same name with an orchestra, dancing, roasts, pasteli and f(r)ytures. According to tradition, the name of the village comes from Mary Magdalene and Mary of Clopas, who, when they went to when they went to Rome to accuse Pilate to Tiberius of the unjust death of Christ, passed through the island. The two Marys succeeded in condemning the chief priests and Pilate, but on their return they were caught in a storm and stranded on the western coast of Zakynthos at a place called Bromi. There they left their boat and went ashore. On a rock, it is said that Mary Magdalene left her footprint. The footprint stood out clearly for many years, until the faithful began to take pieces of the rock to make an amulet, and today it is not tearable. Then they went up to the village, preached Christianity to the inhabitants and laid the first stone to build the first Christian Church. This Church was named after Mary Magdalene and the village was named after the two Marys. According to tradition, the church was never demolished.