Church of Panagia Krimniotissa - Samothrace

The church of Panagia Krimniotissa is located in Pahia Ammos. It took its name from the high rock on which it is built. The church is impressive for two reasons: because of its location and because of its history. According to tradition, the icon that you can see in the Church had been thrown in the sea by Christian inhabitants of Asia Minor in order to be saved from the looting of the iconoclasts. Around 1700, a ship was sailing around the island of Samothrace, when a storm broke out. The captain saw the icon in the water and got it in the ship. The storm subsided immediately. The same evening, the Virgin appeared in the captain’s dream and asked him to go to Samothrace. The captain took the icon to the island and the priest placed it in the church. However, every night the image disappeared and the inhabitants always found it on the high rock. This is how they built the Church on this location.