Lefkogia is a village in the municipal unit of Finikas, in the municipality of Agios Vasileios, in the Rethymno regional unit of Crete, Greece. It is located 35 kilometers from Rethymno at an altitude of 90 meters.
Historical Overview
The village was reportedly established by Achilleas Tzes, who was exiled from Constantinople. Later, residents of Gavdos settled in Lefkogia.
The village is mentioned by Francesco Barozzi in 1577 as Lefogia Potamo in the province of Agios Vasileios. In the Venetian census of 1583, it is referred to as Lefcogia with 86 inhabitants. The village is also mentioned by Basilicata in 1630 as Lefkogia. In the Ottoman census of 1659, it is referred to as Lefkoya with 14 houses. In the 1834 census organized by the Egyptians, the village had a purely Christian population of 30 families.
Location
Lefkogia is situated south of Rethymno at a distance of 35 kilometers. The village is built on a plateau and is surrounded by two streams that merge west of the village and flow near Ammoudi beach. It is located at an altitude of 90 meters and is 1,500 meters from the sea. South of the village are the Modi and Timios Stavros hills, and a hill with the church of Agios Konstantinos and Eleni. North of the village are the Asomatos mountains. Nearby beaches include the popular beaches of Ammoudi and Damnoni, as well as Schoinaria beach.
Culture and Traditions
One legend about the village’s name says that around 1650, Achilleas Tzes, exiled from Constantinople, arrived with his wife Penelope and their two children, Konstantinos and Eleni. They settled in a cave on Modi hill, where the Turks monitored them. A Turk named Fournis harassed Penelope, so Achilleas killed him and hid his body in the cave, placing a dead donkey at the entrance to keep others away due to the smell. Konstantinos later married a woman named Lefki, who inherited the area after her husband’s death. Thus, the area of Lefki’s land became Lefkogia. Another version says the name is due to the white soil of the area, Lefki Gi (white earth), which became Lefkogia. Later, residents of Gavdos settled there to escape pirates.
Family and Social Life
In 1812, Osman Pasha, also known as Pnigares, lived in the village and decided to end the terror caused by the Janissaries. At the same time, a beautiful girl named Kroustallia lived in Lefkogia. One night, she killed her would-be rapist, the fearsome Janissary Mustafa, by throwing his body into the Tripiti gorge. The Pasha of Rethymno promised a large reward to whoever identified the killer. The village priest, to whom the girl had confessed, betrayed her to the Pasha for the money. Osman Pasha, after hearing the priest, called the bishop, the rabbi, and the Hodja, asking them what punishment was appropriate for the priest who revealed the secret. The answer was death, and the next day, the priest was found hanged from the plane tree in Rethymno. The Christians were terrified, but Osman Pasha asked the abbot of Preveli Monastery to come to Rethymno on Holy Saturday, where he welcomed him to his home and reassured him that he would not harm anyone. He even served the abbot Lenten food, and on Easter night, he took him to his basement, where there was a small church, to perform the liturgy. Osman chanted, and at the end, he asked the abbot to give him communion, but the abbot refused because he was a Muslim. Then, Osman revealed that before becoming a Pasha, he was an archdeacon in the Patriarchate of Constantinople. They embraced and chanted “Christ is Risen” together.
Settlement: Key Points
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Historical References: Mentioned in Venetian and Ottoman censuses.
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Location: 35 kilometers south of Rethymno, Crete, Greece.
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Historical Significance: Established by a Constantinopolitan exile.
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Population Data:
YearPopulationNotes158386Lefcogia1881230190024319202881928314194032919512761961242197121119812151991239200128920112832021211
References
Access
Lefkogeia is 21.4 kilometers away from the Rethymno and 6.4 kilometers away from Sellia
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