All about Zakynthos

The chapel of Agios Lypios, located in the suburb of Kaliteros, is the setting for one of the most famous festivals of the island, which takes place on Sunday of Agios Thomas celebration. It is known from its mention in the first chapter of Dionysios Solomos' Woman of Zakynthos: "1. I, Dionysios Hieromonachos, resident in the chapel of St. Lypios, to describe what I am reflecting on I say...'. It is unknown when it was first built there. Two churches were built next to it: Agia Kyriaki and Agia Dynati. Andreas Gaitas in his chronicle, written at the end of the 19th century, describes it as follows: 'On this feast day, from the early morning, the citizens and most of the villagers were present, and they spent the day while dancing and singing and eating and rejoicing under the trees, in the fields and on the surrounding hills'. The dominant musical instrument at this festival was the 'Niakara', i.e. according to L.Ch.Zoi 'a Byzantine anacara, a kind of rural flute, whose sounds are accompanied by a drum, a tambourine, both called "Tambourloniakaro".