Church of the Presentation of the Virgin

The Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary dominates above Gialos and below the Castle of Symi. It is a charming church, built on the edge of the cliff and looks "meteoric" over the picturesque harbor. It is surrounded by a large courtyard, where guests can admire the panoramic view of Symi.

Temple/Monastery

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Church of the Presentation of the Virgin image-494

The church is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. However, the people have given countless names to the Virgin Mary. The locals, therefore, named the Virgin Mary "Lemnitissa" (from "Elemenitissa") and thus dedicated the temple to the Virgin Mary Lemnitissa, as it is known on the island.

The Church of the Entry of the Virgin Mary was originally a large chapel with a small cell, which was occasionally housed by poor elders. The new church was built in 1880 by Symiac Constantine Pharmakides and his wife Anna, in memory of their deceased only-one daughter, disposing of the money from her great dowry, which they intended for their daughter. It is worth noting that Konstantinos Farmakidis was the richest of the island's traders engaged in sponge fishing.

After the death of the renovators of the temple, he came under the ownership of his sons Pharmacides, who continued to maintain him as a proprietor. In 1917, the church was given to the people of Symi and was recognized by the ecclesiastical authority as a parish, with parishioners residing in the surrounding area.