Panayiotis

Having shown you the contents of a traditional wayside shrine, and in an attempt to dispel the myth that these are erected in the memory of those lost in road accidents, I thought I would show you the graveyard. In Greece one is buried for somewhere between five and ten years and then exhumed. If the family so wishes they will collect the bones and keep them in the family ossuary or they might not. The high turn-over at the graveyard means that most of the graves are lovingly tended. I walked around the full extent of the Glossa graveyard and whilst I didn't take accurate notes, I would say that about 90% of the occupants were in their 80s or 90s, about 9% in their 60's or 70's and two notable youngsters, one of 46 and one of 20. Most of the headstones include a marble box with a sliding glass door and inside one would normally expect to find a photograph of the departed, some form of oil lamp or a modern equivalent and perhaps one or two items that might say a little more about the person. I saw a lot of little model boats for men, though I know not whether they were fond of a spot of fishing or travelled the world as part of the vast Greek merchant navy (*) I saw one belonging to an elderly woman that contained a little coffee cup. No doubt she was a good ear in times of trouble. But this grave belongs to 20-year-old Panayiotis. I remember him. I expect he died in a road accident, though I cannot say for certain. In his little trinket box are two photographs of him, a model car, a model motorcycle, some cuddly bears and so much other paraphernalia that some of it is outside. The striking and extremely unusual aspect to this grave is the silk-screened marble headstone containing an image of the crucifixion plus Panayiotis as we remember him.

Notably, not a saint in sight. There is a chance that some wayside shrines are erected at the spot of a lucky escape. That would be understandable, but a death? Why would you pray to a saint who had failed to save someone?

*This neighbourhood used to be a famous wine region. For a family to be successful they required two sons; one to work on the vines and one to work on the ships.