Like every year, on December 26 (the day after Christmas), Saint Stephen is celebrated in Greece.

On the island of Syros, however, this saint is celebrated in a unique way, in the cave, in the rock, right by the sea.

Dozens of people come to the chapel on liturgy by boats or over the mountain.

A fisherman named Stephen, hardly survived when a huge octopus pulled him to the bottom of the sea. Considering his survival by the miracle that Saint Stephen did, the fisherman decided to start the tradition of serving Mass in honor of St. Stephen in the chapel in the rock.
At the first liturgy, the fisherman served people with ratluk, mastiha and tsipuro, and such a tradition has continued until this day.

After the liturgy, the celebration continues on the mountain with food, wine and song.

Mass is served twice a year, August 19 and December 26.

Considering that on the island of Syros there is a big number of Greeks of the Roman Catholic religion and this church is Roman Catholic.

Photos: Isidoros Ksanthaki, Stefanos Vakandos, Galielmos Printezi.