What you will see
The church of Agia Marina is considered to be among the most important religious monuments of Pelion, being famous for its history, architecture and exterior decoration. It is located in the square of Kissos, built around 1650 from Epirus craftsmen, renovated in 1745 and is a Byzantine three aisled basilica. Taken into consideration its size and the fact that it was build in the central square, we conclude that the church was built under the permission of the Ottomans since at that time Greece was under Ottoman occupation. The church had a great fame during past ages as pilgrims came here from Russia and Constantinople, to worship the grace of Agia Marina.
At the beginning, the church was a triple deity, the north aisle was dedicated to Agios Georgios (St. George), the main to Agia Marina and the south to Mega Athanasios. From the moment you enter the church you will be impressed by its striking decoration and from the golden wood carved iconostasis made with linden wood that made 60 years to complete and features beautiful carvings with deceptions of animals and plants. The four impressive inner domes will also captivate you. At the first dome located near the exit, Agia Marina is displayed and around her, scenes from her life. On the second dome, Virgin Mary also with scenes from her life, on the third, Jesus Christ and on the fourth a unique portrayal of God in the form of an old man.
Stand and admire the murals and the frescoes displaying scenes from the Bible created by the famous folk painter, Ioannis Pagonis while on the exterior watch the imposing bell tower and the beautiful fountain.
Finally, the church has two small museums displaying religious items and items of historical importance. One hosts a large collection of religious icons while the other has various historical and religious relics.
