Although
the Community of Omala is small, it has a great deal to offer
visitors to the area.
Don't miss seeing the monastery of Saint Gerasimos,the patron saint
of the island, and the picturesque villages of Fragata and Valsamata.
While you are there, sample the excellent, locally-produced Robola
wine.
SIGHTS
ΤTHE
MONASTERY OF SAINT GERASIMOS
Agios Gerasimos is the patron saint of the island. hIS relics have
been preserved in the monastery which is located in the region of
Omala, .
Before 1554 the monastery was dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
Gerasimos Notaras, a monk from Trikala in Corinth, converted it into
anunnery after 1560.
Every year, in memory of the saint, two big festivals are held; one
on 16th August (the day of his death) and one on 20th October (the
day they recovered his relics).
Pilgrims
from all over Greece come to pay homage to the saint's miraculous
relics.
On these two days, there is a procession of the relics from the
church to a large plane tree almost 500m along the road, where there
is a well that the saint dug with his own hands.
Despite the fact that a new church has been built, the old church is
still in existence. It was built over the cave where the Saint led
an ascetic's life, and you can see various objects belonging to him
in the old church.
Saint Gerasimos died on 15th August 1579 and the Patriarchate
canonized him in 1622. It was October 20th 1581 when they discovered
his body intact and they say it "gave off a pleasant smell".
ROBOLA
WINE PRODUCERS' COOPERATIVE
The Cooperative wine factory is located in the Omala valley, 700
metres above sea level on the slopes of beautiful Mount Ainos and
next to the Monastery of Saint Gerasimos, the patron saint of the
island.
The wine factory has been in operation here since 1987, and is one
of the most up-to-date small-scale wine factories of Greece. It is
in the centre of the Robola grape region, and is surrounded by
nearly 1000 choice acres of sloping and flat vineyards, with soil
and climatic conditions that are ideal for growing the Robola grape.