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Home , Acropolis, Dyskolos, Holy city, Inscriptiones Graecae, Melas (mythology)

45

The Life-giving Spring: Water in Greek Religion, Ancient and Modern, a Comparison

E v y Jo h a n n e Hå l a n d B e r g e n , No r w a y

In , springs in caves have long played a Spring, which is celebrated on the first Friday after central role in religious beliefs and practices. In ancient Easter Sunday, the Resurrection of Christ. During times springs, represented water . Today springs this festival, Athenians visit the Virgin Mary’s chapel are dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Panagia) under her inside a circular Spring House, hewn in the rock on the attribute of the Life-giving Spring (Zōodochos Pēgē). southern slope of the Acropolis to obtain life-giving Both ancient and Christian believers have expressed water. The Sacred Spring is situated inside a cave their beliefs in rituals connected to purity and water over which is constructed a church (Plate 1). Many by fetching holy water from the caves dedicated to believers underscore the importance of being baptised these female divinities. The water is thought to be in water from one of the many sacred springs, which are particularly healing and purifying during the festivals dedicated to the Virgin. Cults dedicated to the sacred dedicated to the goddesses and saints. These beliefs and healing spring-water, have also been important for are reflected in the modern festival of the Life-giving political purposes both in ancient and modern Greece.

Plate 1: The church dedicated to the Life-giving Spirit, : The Holy Spring is behind the low wall (author photograph).

Evy Johanne Håland, PhD., is a historian/researcher, in Bergen, Norway, Her most recent publications include, Greek Festivals, Modern and Ancient: A Comparison of Female and Male Values, Norwegian Academic Press, 2007; Women, Pain and Death: Rituals and Everyday-Life on the Margins of Europe and Beyond, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008 (editor); and forthcoming, Competing Ideologies in Greek Religion, Ancient and Modern (2009). Since 1983, her fieldwork has taken her to the Mediterranean, mainly Greece and where she has been researching religious festivals since 1987. [email protected] 46 PROTEUS: A Journal of Ideas

Cleaning the Acropolis caves Eirinē plans to be here during the afternoon on May 1, At nine o’clock in the morning on Saturday, April but the service/mass will be in the morning, starting at 4, 1992, my mother and I arrive at the cave of the approximately 8:30. Life-giving Spring.1 Eirinē Melas, who cleans the The cave is situated within the archaeological Acropolis caves on a monthly basis (Plate 3), tells us quarter of the Sanctuary of Asklepios, the ancient it is dedicated to Agioi (cf. Agios, i.e. Saint) Anargyroi, healer of sickness, and today the entrance is secured the patron saints of healing.2 Eirinē has carried out with bars and several padlocks. When they reach the this task since the death of her husband who worked cave this morning, everyone washes in the spring and at the Acropolis.3 Today, Eirinē’s daughter, two drinks the water. The two women assert the water is other women, and a young man, Panagiotis, are also miracle-working and healing. They have been here present. He shares Eirinē’s religiosity, and, during regularly since childhood. They explain that among the our stay, he presents several newspaper cuttings about many icons in the cave, the most holy represents the the “cave-churches.”4 I always have regarded the two Panagia and the Child. In front of the icon, one of the caves as caves, but my informants always refer to women arranges a bunch of flowers (nasturtium). So, them as churches. With the exception of Panagiotis’ even if the cave is still dedicated to Agioi Anargyroi, participation, the key performers of the rituals in in reality the Panagia is the one who gets the gifts. the caves are women. They assert Similarly, while the icon of Agioi that since childhood they have Anargyroi is still in the cave, the been brought to the Life-giving tamata (i.e. metal plaques depicting a Spring to fetch holy water along vow or request) are mainly dedicated with their mothers: “It has always to the icons of the Panagia. The been like this.” A clear example of most common offering is a silver- or how Greek children are socialised, gold-plated ex-voto representing this is a common response to the person or limb that has already researchers’ questions—a reaction that been, or is seeking to be, cured by underscores the differences between the icon in combination with the the perspective of many Greeks and water. Before she leaves the cave, the more linear view of time and the flower-arranging woman fills a history shared by most Western bottle with holy water, in keeping Europeans.5 with a tradition she learned from Eirinē tells me her arrival this day her mother when she was five years was delayed by a visit to a church in old. The other woman also brings Monastiraki. While she lights candles with her a bunch of flowers. She and fetches water in the cave, we chat only “gives half of it to the icon in about the annual festival dedicated to this cave, because the other half is the Life-giving Spring, scheduled in going to be offered to the icon of the the cave in approximately a month. It Panagia in the other cave, where we will go when we have finished here.”7 is not clear whether the festival will Plate 2: The entrance to the Sacred She states “this is the oldest church be celebrated this year due to two Spring, the Acropolis cave at Athens in Greece, and Paul was preaching practical problems, one the actual (author photograph). date of the festival in 1992, coincides here.” She lights the candles in front with the celebration of Workers Day on May 1. The of the icon, and she and her partner light the many second is the relationship between the new parish priest -oil lamps. All the devotees fill their bottles with and the celebrants: According to Eirinē’s daughter, water, while saying “even if it is not raining, there will the young successor to the elderly priest in the nearby always be water in the cave.” Byzantine Church resists participating at the festival, After a while, Eirinē fills a bucket with holy water, claiming it represents a pagan custom. During the which we carry further up the rock into the other cave- conversation, I learn the previous year, the younger church along with a candelabrum for votive candles priest stated he was ill, suffering from a heart disease. as well as a broom, some soap, and other objects. “But, we don’t believe that,” added Maria. The church opens above the theatre of the ancient Despite the commonalities between Orthodox god, . This cave is dedicated to the Panagia practices and popular traditions, tensions between Crysospēliōtissa, or the Chapel of Our Lady of the the two often come to the fore during celebrations.6 Golden Cavern (Plate 4).8 Within, Eirinē or someone In 1991, the festival was observed only after Eirinē’s else lights a lamp every evening. son invited a priest from the University of Piraeus to On the walls of the church are faded Byzantine officiate at the ceremony. Later that day, Eirinē and paintings, but the cave was also important for the Panagiotis tell me they also plan to talk with the priest ancients. The two churches are from the fifth or the from Piraeus to ensure the ceremony will be held. sixth century. In both churches we see a newspaper Evy Johanne Håland,: The “Life-giving Spring” 47 article framed and glazed. Panagiotis tells me that There were once two storeys separated by a he put it up himself. He does not remember exactly wooden-floor in the chapel dedicated to Panagia when and where the article was published, only that he Crysospēliōtissa. The upper-floor was situated where “found (i.e. read) it some years ago,…the year I was on the ladder leading up to the icon of the Sleeping during the Panagia” (i.e. August 15, 1989). The Panagia (i.e. her Epitaphios) stops (cf. Plate 4). While article describes the legend behind the cult dedicated Eirinē is cleaning, she arranges the candelabra she to the Panagia Crysospēliōtissa in this particular cave. brought from the cave dedicated to the Life-giving Eirinē and Panagiotis recount the article in their own Spring on a certain place, claiming this is where the way: “In the beginning of there was a “holy table” used to be, and “there was a church above,” miraculous icon in this cave. It was painted by Agios referring to the second floor.14 She continues explaining (i.e. the Evangelist) Luke (i.e. during Mary’s lifetime). this actual “upper” church “is named after the death or Roxane, the daughter of a pagan medical doctor, was ‘Dormition’ of the Panagia, because the icon from 1894 approached by Panagia in a dream, who asked the depicts her death.” They decorate the icon with olive- young woman “to set her free.” “She was imprisoned.” oil lamps and flowers. They also decorate the rest of the In other words, the icon cave, but they leave all the was buried here.9 After lamps in front of the icon of three dreams, Roxane the Panagia and the Child. asked the other Christians When asked if the location to go along with her. By of the lamps is purposive, digging up the icon, she Eirinē replies “No.” The liberated the Panagia, most important icon was who then appeared to her actually moved to Moscow; in a vision. The Panagia only a copy remains in the promised to help Roxane cave. Many votive offerings liberate Athens from the have been dedicated to this Goths. When their leader, copy in the cave. Alaric, came, he wanted The first time I visited to destroy the city. But the cave, August 19, 1990, a light appeared before I also saw icons dedicated them,10 and Alaric, who Plate 3: Eirinē Melas carries out the monthly cleaning to the Panagia Athiniotissa was a Christian himself, of the Acropolis caves starting in the church dedicated and Agios Attikos.15 The departed after recognizing to the Life-giving Spring (author photograph). cave contains many icons an image of the Panagia of different saints (cf. Plate on the city-wall. The article also asserts many of the 4), including Agios Constantine and Agios Gregorios. pagan Athenians interpreted the miracle in their own Several icons hang over older Byzantine frescos, way—they thought the goddess , who was which are not restored (i.e. in 1992). There is also a believed to be the protector of her namesake city, had picture of the Holy Ephraim. He suffered martyrdom appeared on the city-wall. The miracle happened in under the Turks, who burned him. His remains are August 395 and therefore 15 August is celebrated here in a monastery, dating to the eleventh century, in in commemoration of the miracle.11 Unable to date the neighbourhood of Nea Makri. According to the article precisely, I am also aware of the potential my informants, many miracles have occurred there: interpretative biases of my informants. Their accounts Panagiotis’ cousin Sophia, who was barren, reportedly of the article emphasize the magical powers of the became pregnant following a visit to the monastery.16 icon, and we are able to see the similarities between Religious symbols, stories, and legends play a central the pagan and Christian beliefs. Accordingly, they also role in nurturing the faith of many followers. During maintain the icon was brought to the cave when people my visit, Panagiotis supplies me with several small who did not believe in Christianity were present. The pictures of different saints and other gifts, for instance article does not say anything about that part of the a medallion of Agios Pandeleimon, the Healer, the story. Instead, it recounts how the icon helped the 12 patron-saint of invalids and cripples. I also received a Athenians save the city from the assault of the Goths. picture representing a tree, which had a cross inside My informants tell me at an earlier time, they used it when it was cut.17 They also tell me a miracle has to be in both churches during the festival dedicated probably occurred recently in the church at Kypseli to the Life-giving Spring. They always started in the dedicated to Agios Ephtimidios: Last week, they found Life-giving Spring, and sometimes they continued blood on the icon of Jesus Christ. They summoned the celebration in the Crysospēliōtissa. In the cave experts, who were unable to pinpoint the source of the dedicated to Panagia Crysospēliōtissa, they perform a blood. I also learn that some years ago, Eirinē found memorial service called “Nine days after the Dormition” all the icons broken when she arrived at the cave- on August 23.13 church. This is why both the churches are now locked 48 PROTEUS: A Journal of Ideas

up with bars the gold and precious stones that cover the icon. The and secured icon in the cave dedicated to the Life-giving Spring with chains was made in 1917, and shows, according to Panagiotis, and padlocks. “how the water was turned on formerly, when there was Aided by a fountain here.”20 volunteers, Upon our departure, Eirinē wishes my mother and Eirinē me “Happy Easter” and adds, as most faithful Greeks managed to do, “Happy Resurrection” (Kalē Anestasē). repair some of the broken icons, and she “New” Friday in the “White Week”: The received several Celebration of the Life-giving Spring new ones. Easter celebrations in Greece last throughout the Panagiotis week that follows Easter Sunday. The first week after lights the Easter is known as the “White Week” or the “Bright incense burner Week.” (Lamprē signifies both bright and Easter and emphasizes in Greek). On New Friday in the White Week, the the incense is Greeks commemorate the Virgin Mary under her from Athos attribute of Zōodochos Pēgē, the Life-giving Spring. and is called The festival is a part of the spring festivals, which desert-flower. are celebrated during the first week after Easter. In Eirinē tells Plate 4: The cave dedicated to the several places, on this day, there are special services 21 him to polish Panagia Crysosp li tissa or Chapel and processions followed by folk dances. In Athens, all the framed of Our Lady of the Cavern at Athens the festival is celebrated in the church dedicated to and glazed icons (author photograph). the Life-giving Spring, which is situated inside the with Ajax and archaeological site of the Athenian Acropolis. wash-leather.18 Meanwhile, Eirinē sweeps and dusts all In 1992, the Friday after Easter coincided with the icons. In both churches she scrubs the candelabras May 1, which is the annual Workers Day.22 This is also with steel wool and olive oil. a general holiday also for the guards working at the When she has finished sweeping, she sprinkles Acropolis area. Approximately two months before the water from the Life-giving Spring throughout the cave. Easter celebration, some guards told me they believed Then, after seeing to it that all the lamps are lit, we officials might close the entire Acropolis area on May return to the first church. Once there, my informants 1, which would prevent pilgrims from visiting the Life- show me a hole in the ground close to the entrance giving Spring on the feast day. sill. This is where they used to behead the priests they It remained unclear for some time whether the explain. To protect themselves, the priests used to hide “holiday of the workers,” a more secular celebration, in the water behind the wall on the right side of the would win out over the religious celebration, which icon. Eirinē and Panagiotis are eager to share their is rooted in the traditional customs and value systems beliefs and interpretations with me and teach me more of the common people.23 Both festivals represent the about the caves. According to them, an ancient column, people, but one is related to a modern and Western- situated in the middle of the ground floor, served as oriented nationalist ideology while the other represents the “holy table (see Plate 1), and has relics from saints inside!19 Panagiotis emphasizes that formerly this church had a “greater church above,” and (the emperor) Constantine built it. Accordingly, the church dedicated to the Life-giving Spring was part of the large Byzantine Church-complex covering an extended area. He shows another picture of Ephraim, the monk who was burned on May 5, 1426. May 5 is now an annual holiday, celebrating the saint in the monastery that is dedicated to him. “There he lays in a silver-coffin and over his relics is the Byzantine banner decorated with the two eagles.” In the cave are many icons (cf. Plate 1) as well as many votive offerings. While talking about icons, my informants recount a popular belief among many Greeks that the holy icon Plate 5: The priest packs up his briefcase, situated in on Tinos is the work of the Evangelist, Luke. They the middle of the altar, in the church dedicated to the say when King Paul became ill his family bestowed all Life-giving Spring at Athens (author photograph). Evy Johanne Håland,: The “Life-giving Spring” 49 the “Romeic” (or inward-facing Orthodox Christian) cave-church also wash in the spring and drink from the tradition to which the overwhelming majority of water. Greeks still adhere. The water scoop is often used in the cave dedicated Finally the Acropolis-authorities decided to keep to the Panagia, the Life-giving Spring, during the the area open for a short period of time, and the festival. A man using crutches sits next to the spring popular religiosity of the Greeks triumphed. The occupied with drawing water (Plate 6).26 Supplied festival is celebrated from 8:30 until 11:00 a.m. The with the water scoop, he continually receives empty guards working at the Acropolis are on duty at the bottles, which he fills and returns to the people who two entrances to the Acropolis area. Greeks from the are queuing up. Other people drink from the spring, neighbourhood are “filtered out” from the rest of the sprinkle their heads, or fill small bottles they have people, and only the Greeks are admitted into the brought for just this purpose by putting the bottles area. To the many frustrated tourists, the message is directly into the spring. In the middle of the ground quite clear: “only Greeks are admitted, since it is their floor, a basket filled with pieces of bread is placed on festival.”24 So, the Romeic (“inside”) the ancient column (cf. Plate 7), i.e. tradition gains the victory over the the “holy table,” containing the saints’ “Hellenic” practice, which is “outward- bones. When the last slice of bread is directed” (i.e. the “common Ancient taken, a faithful seizes the basket and heritage” which the Greeks shares pours the rest of the crumbs over him. with the Western world). As in other While people are occupied with their instances, the Romeic tradition is own water-fetching ritual, the guards hidden from Europeans and other working at the Acropolis become Western people.25 Underscoring the more and more impatient: They are tensions between the popular religious shouting, arguing that we have to get traditions and official practices, the out (Plate 7). parish priest claimed the Romeic ritual But, the people ignore the officials was pagan and refused to officiate. and continue to fetch water and Accordingly, he had to be replaced by bread, to drink and eat, to kiss the another celebrant. various icons, and cross themselves. During the ceremony, which takes Eirinē becomes very angry and argues place at the cave dedicated to the ardently with the head of the guards. Life-giving Spring, Athenians fetch At 11 o’clock, we are more or less Life-giving holy water. Many people Plate 6: A man on crutches sits thrown out. The evening service is are present, old and young, female and next to the spring and is occupied cancelled, but the Acropolis authorities male. The service lasts for two hours, with drawing water in the church are forced to open the church, let and the officiating priest is the same as of Life-giving Spring, Athens people in, and keep several guards on the year before. Several tables are set (author photograph). duty for more than three hours on May up outside the entrance to the cave- 1, 1992. church. They are laid with a variety of special breads brought by the participants as offerings, particularly The cults in the Acropolis caves at Athens: the round holy bread, prosphoro, which is blessed by continuity and change the priest. In addition, the ceremony also features sweet breads (cakes sprinkled with sugar icing), which Ancient Greeks generally viewed springs and pools are baked and offered at annual festivals dedicated of water in caves and caverns as manifestations of the to saints. Inside the church several candles are lit in divine. With the spread of Christianity, most of the the candelabras. The censer of the priest, which is caves were transformed into churches, as in Athens, decorated with little bells, is suspended on one of the where we find the church dedicated to the Life-giving candelabras near the altar (cf. Plate 7). At the altar, in Spring. Here, and in other locations, Christian symbols front of the wall behind which is the spring, the priest have replaced pagan ones. is officiating. When he concludes the mass, he starts Initially the Life-giving Spring and its surroundings to assemble the rest of the holy bread, which he has were sacred homes of the water nymphs. The structure blessed and distributed to the participants. He also housing the spring dates back to the late sixth century packs up his briefcase, which is situated in the middle B.C., and several remains of votive reliefs depicting of the altar (Plate 5). nymphs have been found throughout the area.27

Although most of the participants have left with was also worshipped there from the fifth century B.C. their small bottles of holy water and pieces of holy onward. A large marble altar or altar-table (IG II² bread, some people still flow into the cave-church. An 4994) bearing the names of , Aphrodite, and old priest leaves, carrying with him a bottle of holy Isis might suggest these gods also have been linked water for the following year. People who flow into the to the spring since they were worshipped in the area. 50 PROTEUS: A Journal of Ideas

Sometime before the middle of the first century, He specifies (1.21,4): “In it there is a spring, by which a modest shrine for Isis, an Egyptian import, was they say that ’s son Halirrhothios (Seafoam) established on the slope just south of the Archaic deflowered Alkippe the daughter of ….” Spring House beside an even smaller temple to the The baths were important in the shrines of goddess Themis. Asklepios, since the ancient Greeks believed Asklepios So, the original cult of the spring, followed by the would not accept or come into personal contact with Archaic round Spring House, later situated within patients who had not been washed. Accordingly, the Asklepieion, or the sanctuary of Asklepios in the sacred springs are mentioned in all three hundred City (cf. Plate 2) are very much older than the shrine twenty documented Asklepieia.29 The clear bubbling of Asklepios, which was dedicated in 419/418 B.C. by water of a spring, rising out of the earth by a power, Telemakhos of Acharnai, a devout private donor.28 The habitually regarded as a water , was, in the sacred territory of the spring was not officially marked imagination of the ancient Greeks, a gift of the water until this last quarter of the fifth century, the era of deities, the goddesses by which all life on earth was Telemakhos’s beneficence, when a marble boundary fed.30 Accordingly, it is quite understandable that stone inscribed with the words horos even pure water was considered to krenes (boundary of the spring) was have therapeutic properties. Ancient placed, establishing the limits of the medicine employed water treatments Spring House terrace. in various ways for a great variety Asklepios owes his status and of maladies including eczema, popularity to the healing of sickness. rheumatism, gout, and psychosomatic His daughter who is named simply disorders. The physician, Galen (Health), also illustrates the (approximately A.D. 129-199) gave healing aspect. News of the miracle detailed instructions for particular cures drew hordes of visitors to water treatments, which took place in Epidauros, the home or original cult in Asia Minor. centre of Asklepios (cf. Paus. 2.26,8), In the fifth or the beginning and gave rise to a regular health of the sixth century A.D., all the business. The worship of Asklepios, buildings were demolished and on was introduced into Athens on the foundations a large three-aisled the occasion of the plague of 429 Christian basilica was built to the B.C. According to the Historian memory of Ag. Anargyroi, the : “In the city of Athens it patron saints of healing.31 When [the plague] appeared suddenly, and the early Christians built a structure on first cases were among the population Plate 7: One of the impatient the remains of the Asklepieion, the of Piraeus, where there were no wells guards workng at the Acropolis sanctuary dedicated to the ancient at that time, so that it was supposed within the church dedicated to god of healing became a Byzantine by them that the Peloponnesians had the Life-giving Spring (author Church. Here, under the patronage of poisoned the reservoirs” (Thuc. 2.48). photograph) Ag. Kosmas and Ag. Damianos (i.e. “Words indeed fail one when one tries Ag. Anargyroi), many of the healing to give a general picture of this disease; and as for the traditions of the ancients continued under the cloak of sufferings of individuals, they seemed almost beyond Christianity. When the area around the Asklepieion the capacity of human nature to endure” (2.50). The was excavated in 1876, the cave with holy water also “cure” followed a ritual, during which patients washed became dedicated to the Panagia.32 in the Sacred Spring, offered at an altar, and then Some scholars have emphasized the continuities in retired to the stoa (a porch or not attached the cults of male divinities at the site—first the pagan, to a larger building) where the mysterious process of Asklepios, and then the Christian, Ag. Anagyroi.33 incubation (egkoimēsis) was assisted by incense from In the practical rituals of contemporary locals, the altars (cf. Paus. 2.27,1 f.). This ceremony and the however, the female Panagia has emerged as the most religious excitement it encouraged produced dreams, important saint. In antiquity, the two Acropolis caves through which Asklepios was supposed to effect his were dedicated to the water nymphs and Artemis34 cure. Many ex-voto tablets to Asklepios and Hygieia respectively, and later they became churches where have been found showing the portion of the anatomy the Panagia is worshipped. In other words, in the two treated. These were affixed to a wall or were inlaid in caves there have been cults dedicated to female fertility the columns; larger votive stelai, some showing the god and healing divinities in ancient (i.e. archaic) and visiting sick patients in their sleep, were affixed to the modern times, even if the names of the divinities have stoa steps. The traveller and writer, Pausanias, living in changed. The male elements in the Classical (Asklepios the second century A.D., recounted the votive offerings and Dionysos respectively, Asklepios nevertheless he saw while visiting the Acropolis cave (1.21,4-7). together with Hygieia) and the Byzantine periods 51 were intermezzos.35 Even as Christian divinities have on their own, several are organised by replaced pagan ones, the archetypal symbols of the representatives of the Orthodox Church in connection Life-giving Spring as well as many of its attendant with the most important festival on August 15. rituals have remained almost completely unchanged. The first excavations on Tinos brought to light the Indeed, contemporaries continue to fetch the holy ruins of the foundations of the Byzantine Church, water from the cave much as their ancient counterparts including a deep but dry well. Some months later, did more than two thousand years ago. in 1823, the cornerstone of the church of the Life- giving Spring was laid. Later, the icon was found From the Life-giving Spring at Athens to other approximately two meters from the well, and local cults of the Life-giving Spring leaders oversaw the construction of a big church above the chapel dedicated to the Life-giving Spring. So, the Holy water, agiasma, is found in most contemporary chapel or church dedicated to the Life-giving Spring, Greek sanctuaries, but some sanctuaries offer water which is formed as a cave, is situated below the Church that is said to possess especially strong miracle working of the Annunciation.36 On the day of the laying of properties. And several caves with springs, which were the cornerstone of the Holy Church, the formerly dry dedicated to ancient gods and goddesses, particularly well became filled with water and has since become water nymphs, are now transformed to chapels a rich fountain—a development that quickly became dedicated to the Panagia. The linkages between female recognized as one of the most important miracles of divinities and water are particularly striking on the the Panagia of Tinos.37 Some faithful not coming from Aegean island of Tinos, the site of a chapel dedicated Tinos however, believe the Panagia sent the water to the Life-giving Spring—that belongs to the greatest herself to provide a cleaning agent for her dirtied icon.38 shrine of Greek Orthodoxy. Pilgrims view the sacred water as a miracle-working In 1822, a pious nun named Pelagia saw a series of agent and have long collected it in bottles, which they visions in which the Panagia ordered her to persuade then take home. Baptisms are not performed in the island elders to search for her buried icon in a barren church itself but in the baptistry, located off the chapel field and to build a church on that spot. On January of the Life-giving Spring. During the Dormition of 30, 1823, the icon was unearthed at the site of a the Panagia, on August 15, many children are baptised Christian church that had been built on the ruins of a in the chapel of holy water, in the Life-giving Spring pagan temple to Dionysus and then destroyed by the (Plate 8).39 Saracens during the tenth century. The miraculous discovery of the icon took place only two years after Rituals connected with water are very important, the first uprising of what would become known as the both in modern and , as is exemplified Greek War of Liberation. The Greeks would have to in the festival dedicated to the Panagia, under her wait until 1832 before the major European powers attribute of the Life-giving Spring. In this connection, recognized their independence. it is important to mention the establishment of the festival dedicated to the Life-giving Spring in During the violent and uncertain birth of modern Constantinople by the Patriarch in 1833.40 Through Greece, many patriots found comfort and hope in the the important blessing of the agiasma, we again miraculous developments on Tinos. Pelagia eventually encounter holy water, a very old purification symbol, became recognized as a saint in 1971, when the Greek whose significance was re-established by the Patriarch government also decreed Tinos a sacred island. In in service of the national ideology in the same year the addition to the thousands of pilgrims who visit Tinos Greek struggle for independence came to a successful conclusion. In Greece, then, popular traditions and symbols merge with the ideology of nationalism.41 In this manner, belief systems that might otherwise appear contradictory have become complementary and interdependent.

From the Greek context to other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Springs Resonating far beyond Greece, the underlying religious patterns found in the Acropolis caves and on the island of Tinos are also at work in the stories and traditions associated with a much more famous cave in Lourdes, France. Here, beginning in February 1858, Bernadette Soubirous (1844-1879), had eighteen Plate 8: A child is baptised in the chapel of holy water in the Life-giving Spring, Tinos (author photograph). 52 PROTEUS: A Journal of Ideas

mystical visions, during which the Virgin Mary remains a central motif. Water has fertility-enhancing, appeared to her. During the ninth vision, in front of healing, purifying, and protecting powers; in the form several spectators, Bernadette started to scratch the of holy water, it is central to many rituals designed to earth with her fingers and a thin jet of water began ward off evil and ensure blessings. It is also used in to pour forth. In 1862, the Catholic bishop decided conjunction with different magical remedies. It is said to build a sanctuary in connection with the cave. the spring at the Church of Christ at Spata lends power Later, Bernadette became a nun and in 1933 she was to stones gathered there, these, added to holy water and sanctified. This religious centre has been characterised passion flowers, make a charm which protects a house as the greatest centre in the world. In from illness. addition to pilgrims coming on their own, “Assumption Throughout the ages, springs have been places priests,” since 1873, have organized “National to which one is directed by a dream for the cure of Pilgrimages” in Paris. In 1963, the first organised illnesses; “silent water” is said to cure muteness and pilgrimage for the poliomyelitis took place, eventually rainwater is said to cure warts. Today, people from disabled persons in wheel chairs also participated, thus, throughout the world come to Lourdes and Tinos, paralleling the circumstances on modern Tinos. Next because of their holy healing and purifying waters, to the cave with the marble Holy Virgin in Lourdes which the pilgrims take home in bottles. In diverse are the fountains and the pools where the pilgrims cultures, modern sanctuaries are often situated at take their baths. Today, the pilgrims, much like their places where ancient pre-Christian people also made counterparts on Tinos, fetch holy water from the cave pilgrimages to holy springs, for example in Greece, in small bottles. In addition, the church sends small where Agia Marina of the Holy Springs has her church bottles of water all over the world at the request of next to the ancient site of a temple holy to the goddess, people who do not have the opportunity to personally Themis.46 The holy city of is situated on a place visit Lourdes. The main church built over the where, in earlier times, were found a stone and a holy miraculous cave, where Bernadette had the visions, is spring.47 dedicated to the “Immaculate Conception.” In the cave, a marble Holy Virgin indicates the spot. Throughout much of the Catholic world, images ENDNOTES of Bernadette kneeling in the cave while she receives a vision have been reproduced. One such image is found 1. I have not attempted to disguise the location of my field research, although I have used pseudonyms to protect the on the backside of a small church in the little south identities of the individuals who are discussed in this article. Italian village of Villammare, dedicated to the Holy 2. See also Loukatos 1982: 153, cf. nevertheless infra and Håland Virgin under her attribute of Saver of the port (Maria 2003, 2005, 2007. It may be noted that Saint in Greek is Agios S.S. di Portosalvo).42 Other places in the Mediterranean (m.) or Agia (f.), Agioi (pl.). and Roman Catholic world also have holy springs, 3. He was working here for 31 years. including , in the village of San Il Santuario Pietrasanta 4. I am particularly grateful for this, because I would probably not Giovanni a Piro, situated in the mountains over the have been able to track them down without his help. I learned Bay of Policastro in southern Italy. The most important this when talking with several other persons, who found the ritual statue in the church represents the Madonna and the quite uninteresting compared to the other materials found in the Acropolis-area. Certainly, the two other women may also have Child, and the spring in San Giovanni a Piro is also been present because of curiosity. 43 thought to be particularly healing and purifying. 5. For the problem with different histories, see Håland 2007: ch. 2 The ancient and Christian demands for ritual purity f., 6, cf. Hastrup 1992. See also infra for the problematical dating of a newspaper article. have their parallels in Islamic rituals, since prayer is valid only when performed in a state of ritual purity, 6. Such as the Anastenaria, cf. Håland 2007: ch. 3 f., 6 for discussions of the practical problems that may arise, resulting and therefore has to be preceded by ablution, wudû’. from the (sometimes) difficult relations between the official The Koran (5:8-9) ordains: “…wash your faces and Orthodox Church and popular religion, i.e. in practical life, we your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads and meet another reality than the official one given by Alexiou 1974. your feet up to the ankles….”44 The duty of ablution 7. She leaves the rest of the flowers in the other cave, and accounts for the presence of fountains in the mosque departs soon afterwards. courts. 8. Eirinē always finishes her cleaning of the church dedicated to the Life-giving Spring before she goes up to the Crysospēliōtissa. In conclusion, springs are connected to healing and Cf. the ritual on , where they fetch the icon of the Panagia purification both in the and Graeco- to get rain, Håland 2005. Roman worlds and in the modern Mediterranean and 9. Cf. Håland 2003, 2007 for the Tinos-legend, etc., see also infra. the Middle East. In ancient and contemporary Greece, Cf. also Kephallēniadē 1990 and 1991. water has been linked with exceptional powers. Water 10. Cf. Hdt. 8.65, 8.84; Xen. Hell. 2.4,14 f.; Diod. 14.32,2 f. and is also often viewed as dangerous, because it is around Clem. Al. Strom. 1.24,163,1-3 for other pre-Christian parallels. 45 such sources where the Nereids may gather. Even as 11. So, in this instance another meaning is added to the the official religions of the Western, Mediterranean, celebration of August 15, the Dormition of the Panagia. and Middle Eastern worlds have diverged, water Evy Johanne Håland,: The “Life-giving Spring” 53

12. They also tell that today the icon is to be found in the church 30. Cf. Håland 2003, 2005, for the importance of the water dedicated to the Panagia Crysospēliōtissa, in the neighbourhood nymphs. of Omonia square. They also call it Eirinē (i.e. Peace) or the Sleep, 31 Travlos 1939/41: 35-68, cf. Travlos 1971: 128. i.e. the Death. 32. Travlos 1939/41: 68. 13. In 1992 the ritual was not performed. Some days before the festival Eirinē and Panagiotis were cleaning and tidying up both 33. Loukatos 1982: 153. churches, but Eirinē goes to the church in Monastiraki on the 34. For Artemis’ connection with springs, see Håland 2003. In the festival day. She does not tell why, but it might be that they have Acropolis cave, she is worshipped with her brother , Paus. difficulties when trying to find a priest. Early in the morning, a 1.21,3. woman reaches the entrance to the theatre of Dionysos, asking if the ceremony is going to be performed. But, she gets a negative 35. Cf. the cult dedicated to Agia Marina beneath the Hill of the answer. Nymphs at Athens were people fetch Holy water from the spring connected to the church sacred to Agia Marina, particularly 14. Over the table is a Byzantine wall-painting representing Agios during her festival on 17 July, Håland 2005, 2007. Athanasios from the 16th century. Several dates are also scratched on the rock. 36. See Håland 2003, 2007, forthcoming for a more detailed account also for the following. 15. So one may suggest that even if the cult dedicated to Athena on the top of the Acropolis was prohibited in the 5th century, 37. Foskolos 1996 presents the most important miracles of the when Athena’s was transformed into a church Megalochari of Tinos. dedicated to the Panagia after the termination of the Panathenaia in 410 A.D., it has continued in one of the cave-churches on the 38. Blum/Blum 1970: 59. slope of the same rock. 39. See Håland 2003: fig.2. 16. I observe a cross, which looks like a phallus, and they tell that 40. Loukatos 1985: 165. it is sewn. 41. For the similarities between life-cycle passages and the rituals 17. Cf. the story behind the “split column”, Economdes 1986: performed in connection with important passages during the 22-24. cycle of nature, see Håland 2006, 2007. 18. It is worth mentioning that after a while the leader of the 42. Håland 1990: ch. 2. guards working at the Acropolis-area comes around. He got a copy of my permission-letter to do research in the caves. All the 43. Håland 1990: ch. 2 and 7. way, I experienced that they found it quite incomprehensible that 44. Quoted from Grunebaum 1981: 10. I was as interested in talking with the people performing their religious rituals as with the archaeologists. 45. Cf. Blum/Blum 1970; Håland 1990, 2003, 2005 also for ancient material. 19. Cf. ancient Greek death-cult and the belief that the power of the dead was most strongly experienced in the neighbourhood 46. Blum/Blum 1970: 324, cf. Håland 2005: Agia Marina and the of the grave, cf. Garland 1985: 4 and fig. 1 for a parallel to the former Nymphs. See also n.34 supra. bones of the saints in the cave. 47. For the relations between traditional popular religiosity and 20. Panagiotis also tells that the best candles are made of honey, see also for example, Bourdieu 1980; Eickelman 1981. Cf. cf. the beeswax-candles on Aegina. also Grunebaum 1981. 21. See also Tsotakou-Karbelē 1991: 98 f.; Megas 1992: 184-187. 22. May Day is also celebrated with other particular customs, i.e. REFERENCES AND ABBREVIATIONS people gather spring flowers. With these they make wreaths and hang them on their front door. Alexiou, Margaret. 1974. The ritual lament in Greek tradition. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. 23. Cf. Håland 2007: particularly ch. 2. For the following, cf. also Herzfeld 1986, 1992. (Ar.), trans. Benjamin Bickley Rogers. 1946 (1924). 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