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Alexios of Dryinoupolis at the events of honor for the Woman of Pindos in Fourka Konitsistranslated

July 21, 2026 · 1 min read

With the participation of the Venerable Metropolitan of Dryinoupolis, Pogoniana and Konitsa Mr. Alexiou, on Monday July 20, on the hill of the Prophet Ilias Fourkas, the established events of memory and honor dedicated to the Woman of Pindos and the heroes of the Epic of 1940 took place. His Eminence performed the memorial service at the Heroes' Monument, followed by the laying of wreaths and the crowning of the busts of the hero officers Konstantinos Davakis and Alexandros Diakos.

The event was graced by the presence of the Deputy Minister of National Defense, Mr. Thanasis Davakis, the Regional Governor of Epirus, Mr. Alexandros Kahrimanis, the Mayor of Konitsi, Mr. Andreas Papaspyrou, representatives of the political and military authorities, as well as a large number of residents and visitors.

As part of the events, a topographic briefing was held by an officer of the VIII Mechanized Brigade, while the keynote address was delivered by Mr. Nikolaos Anastasopoulos, Assistant Professor of Modern History at the University of Ioannina and Vice-President of the Continental Studies Society.

The events are a small tribute to the sacrifice of the heroes of the 1940 Epic and the shocking contribution of…

Source: Orthodoxia News Agency · Read the full story →

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Daniel Dumitrescu

It was nice to see that Metropolitan Alexios served the vigil right at the monument. I'm glad they also talked about the women of Pindos, not just the officers. The people of Konitsa still remember, it seems.

Степан Кузнецов

It’s good that Metropolitan Alexy celebrated a memorial service right next to the monument. Otherwise, they often only talk about speeches and forget about prayer. It’s interesting that they also mentioned Pinda women separately - without them those trails would not have been passed at all.

Полина Соловьёва

Yes, prayer at the monument itself is correct; without it, everything else is somehow empty. And I also noticed about the women of Pinda: in the article they highlighted separately, and rightly so, they walked along those paths with mules in any weather, leaving their children behind. I wonder, have you been to those places, Stepan?

Дарья Макарова

Yes, it’s good that Metropolitan Alexy immediately celebrated a memorial service at the monument itself, and not just speeches. Pinda was also right about the women - without them, no one would have walked along those paths in the snow and rain. I wonder, Polina, have you ever been to Furka? We don’t have such mountains in Belarus, but the history touches us.

Павел Петров

I agree, Polina, prayer there on the hill immediately puts everything in its place. You were right about the women of Pinda - in such weather, carrying supplies over rocks with mules is no less a feat than that of soldiers. I haven’t been to those parts myself, but my wife told me how she went to Konitsa five years ago and says the trails are still steep. Were you there?

Мария Козлова

Yes, Polina, without prayer at the monument everything really loses its meaning. But the Pinda women are a different story; they not only carried supplies, but also carried out the wounded. I haven’t been to those parts, but my eldest daughter went to Konitsa a couple of years ago and was still amazed at how they managed to navigate such trails in the rain and snow.

Фёдор Белов

Yes, Paul, praying on the hill does make a difference. My wife is right about the trails - I was in those places in 2012, and mules can barely pass there even now, and women in the 40s also dragged the wounded down. You said your wife went to Konitsa, did she go up to Furka itself or did she just go down the valley?

Полина Беляева

Yes, Paul, prayer on the hill really does change everything right away. I was in those parts in 2008, we were just climbing to Furka with our group from Yaroslavl, and then my legs hurt for a week from these stones. Did your wife just stop by Konitsa or did she still venture up the hill itself?

Алексей Семёнов

Yes, Pavel, your wife is right - the paths are still the same there now. In 2015, I went to Konitsa with a priest from our parish, but we only got to the bottom, but we couldn’t climb the hill, our legs weren’t the same. And prayer at the monument really puts everything in its place, that’s for sure.

Ксения Макарова

Yes, Polina, those stones in Furka are really evil, after such a walk my back ached. My wife didn’t go all the way to the hill, she stayed down in Konitsa, her knees are weak. What year were you there with the Yaroslavl group?

Роман Киселёв

Yes, the rocks there are sharp, especially when you go down. My wife and I were also in those parts last year, she also takes care of my knees and didn’t go further than the village. And in what year exactly did the Yaroslavl residents come?