Saint Spyridon & Corfu History

Saint Spyridon

Saint Spyridon is the keeper of the city and the protector of the island of Corfu. He was born during the 4th century in Askeia, Cyprus where he was working as a shepherd. When his wife died, he decided to dedicate his life to God and was chosen to become the bishop of Trimythous. He was known for his devotion to God, love for the people, simplicity and humility. Most importantly though, he is known and respected in both the Western and Eastern churches for the variety of miracles that he performed, including resurrections of the deceased. His Holy Relics are kept in his own church, the Saint Spyridon church, which is located in the heart of Corfu Town and attracts visitors from all over the world. His memory is celebrated 6 times as he has saved the island numerous times from the plague, famine, Ottoman Empire and has performed various miracles. As in Greece we celebrate apart from birthdays also the name days, the 12th of December is a special day to all Corfiots because we do not only celebrate the memory of Saint Spyridon but also all the people named after him, Spyros or Spyridoula.

The Venetians in Corfu

Approximately four centuries under the Venetian rule determined the character of the island. While the rest of Greece was under Turkish rule, Corfu had a rich cultural life and many literary and artistic figures came to Corfu from other parts of Greece. The island was fortunate to be under the Venetian rule since that allowed the island to expand its cultural horizons and Corfiots had the opportunity tο publicize in Europe the classical meaning of the ancient Greeks through their work. The architecture of the island was also influenced by the Venetians as during their siege, most of the buildings on the island were built according to the Venetian architecture, with lots of floors and tiles. Corfu is said to be a small Venice without the canals. It is also said that Corfu owes a lot to the Venetians; because of them, the island was never conquered by the Ottomans.

Liston Corfu | X Adventure Club Corfu