TINOS IS THE ISLAND OF MEGALOHARI (THE VIRGIN MARY), THE ARTS AND OF BEAUTY. THE AREA OF THE ISLAND IS 195 SQ. KM2, WITH A POPULATION OF 9.961 AND AROUND 50 VILLAGES. THE NAME OF THE ISLAND WHICH IS PRE-HELLENIC IS LIKELY NAMED AFTER THE FIRST SETTLER. IT HAS BEEN ALSO CORRELATED WITH THE PHOENICIAN WORD "TANNOTH" (SNAKE). TINOS WAS ALSO CALLED OFIOUSA FOR ITS MULTITUDE OF SNAKES WHICH WERE EXTERMINATED BY POSEIDON, THE ISLANDS PATRON, HYDROUSA FOR ITS ABUNDANCE OF WATER AND ISLAND OF AEOLOS FOR ITS STRONG NORTHERN WINDS.
THROUGH THE CENTURIES TINOS HAS BEEN INFLUENCED BY MANY CULTURES. FIRST WERE THE PELASGIANS, LATER CAME THE IONIANS, THE ATHENIANS, THE MACEDONIANS, THE PTOLEMIANS AND THE ROMANS. THE FIRST ESTABLISHMENT HAS BEEN LOCALIZED FROM THE NEOLITHIC PERIOD AND CONTINUES THROUGH THE GEOMETRIC AND ARCHAIC PERIODS. HERE ARE SOME HISTORICAL DATES:
480 BC BEFORE THE BATTLE OF SALAMINA, THE TINIAN GALLEY
OF PANAITIOS JOINS THE GREEK FLEET AND INFORMS THEM OF THE PERSIANS PLANS.
TINOS IS MENTIONED IN THE DEDICATION TO THE DELPHIC ORACLE.
BYZANTINE PERIOD. TINOS BELONGS TO THE AREA OF GREECE AND SUSTAINS THE REPEATED
RAIDS OF THE PIRATES.
1204. TINOS FALLS UNDER VENITIAN CONTROL, MAINLY AS AN ACQUISITION OF THE
GIZI FAMILY (1207-1390) AND REMAINS UNDER THE DIRECT COMMAND OF THE REPUBLIC
OF SAINT MARK UNTIL 1715. THE LONG PRESENCE OF THE VENITIANS PLAYED A MAJOR
ROLE IN THE FORMATION OF THE TINIAN CHARACTER. THE ISLAND WAS TRANSFORMED
AS A REFUGE FOR PERSECUTED GREEKS, SECURING STABILITY AND RELATIVE SAFETY.
THE VENITIANS INFLUENCED THE SOCIAL FORMATION WITH THE CREATION OF PECULIAR
TYPE OF FEUDALISM IN THE POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS STATE (THE CATHOLIC DOCTRINE).
1715. AFTER MANY UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS THE TURKS FINALLY CONQUER THE ISLAND
ALTHOUGH THEIR PRESENCE IS BASICALLY FORMAL. MAKING THE BEST OF THE FAVOURABLE
CONDITIONS. TINOS ADVANCES AT A SPECTACULAR RATE. IT IS SELF-GOVERNED AND
FLOURISHES ECONOMICALLY DEVELOPING ITS TRADE AND HANDICRAFTS. TINOS RISES
AS THE LARGEST GREEK CENTRE OF MARBLE SCULPTURE WITH FAMILIES DEVELOPING THE
ART FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT AND WORK ALL THROUGH GREECE, ASIA MINOR
AND THE BALKANS.
1771-1774. A BRIEF PASSAGE OF THE RUSSIANS DURING ORLOF?S REVOLUTION.
MARCH 31, 1821. PYRGOS IS THE FIRST TO RAISE THE REVOLUTIONARY FLAG FROM ALL
THE CYCLADIC ISLANDS. THE MAIN TOWN (HORA) RAISED THE FLAG ON APRIL 20. THE
TINIANS OFFERED A GREAT DEAL TO THE REVOLUTION BOTH BY LAND AND SEA.
JANUARY 30, 1823. THE HOLY ICON OF THE VIRGIN MARY WAS UNEARTHENED, WHICH
WAS CONSIDERED A SYMBOL OF FREEDOM FOR THE STRUGGLING GREEKS. THE DISCOVERY
OF THE HOLY ICON OF THE VIRGIN MARY AFTER THE DIVINE VISION OF SAINT PELAGIA,
MADE THE ISLAND THE LARGEST CONTEMPORARY SHRINE OF THE COUNTRY AND OF THE
ORTHODOX RELIGION.
AUGUST 15, 1940. THE ITALIANS TORPEDO THE CRUISER ?ELLI? OUTSIDE THE HARBOR
ON THE DAY OF THE FESTIVAL. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE VIRGIN MARY LED THE VICTORIOUS
GREEK ARMY INTO ALBANIA. THE HOLY CHURCH OF THE ANNUNCIATION OFFERED ITS ENTIRE
COLLECTION OF DEDICATIONS TO HELP IN THE WAR EFFORT.
TODAY TINOS IS A PLACE OF EXPECTATION, WHERE THE BELIEVER CAN FIND THE IDEAL
PLACE TO FEEL GODS AND THE VIRGIN MARY?S PRESENCE CLOSER TO HIS HEART. IT
IS ALSO A PLACE WITH MANY BEAUTIFUL SITES JUST WAITING FOR ONE TO EXPLORE.
THE ISLAND WAS PRESERVED TO A LARGE EXTENT THE TRADITIONAL TRAITS OF ITS VILLAGE
ARCHITECTURE AND EVERYDAY LIFESTYLE, WHETHER IT IS THE WARM HOSPITALITY, THE
FESTIVALS OR VARIOUS CUSTOMS. A SMALL EXAMPLE OF THESE FESTIVALS HELD AT THE
FOLLOWING LOCATIONS ARE:
VOURNIOTISSA (SEPTEMBER 24)
SAINT BARBARA AT SMOVOLO (DECEMBER 4)
TRIPOTAMOS (CHRISTMAS DAY)
KTIKADOS (THE MONDAY AFTER EASTER)
LAKOTIANI AT ISTERNIA (THE SUNDAY AFTER EASTER)
PANAGIA (VIRGIN MARY) AT VRISI (MAY 1)
SAINT PARASKEVI AT KARAMBOUSSA (JULY 26)
KYRA XENI (AUGUST 23)
TINOS IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF MANY LEADING MODERN GREEK ARTISTS IN SCULPTURE
AND PAINTING SUCH AS: HALEPAS, FILIPPOTIS, SOHOS, VITALIS, FITALIS, GIZIS,
LITRAS, GAITIS. IN ADDITION THERE ARE THE MANY UNKNOWN CRAFTSMEN WHO HAVE
LEFT THEIR MARK ON THE CHURCHES, THE HOMES AND PERISTERONES (PIGEON - HOUSES)
ON THE ISLAND. ITS LANDSCAPE ALSO HAS VARIOUS UNEXPECTED ALTERNATIONS BETWEEN
LIGHT AND SHADOW, BARE ROCK AND GREEN VALLEY, CLIFFS AND SANDY BEACHES.
