Theologos

THEOLOGOS - IT'S HISTORY


One of the first written statements about Theologos of Thassos was written in 1287. Precisely by the word of the Byzantian Emperor Andronikos the second, Paleologos, states that the monastery of Filotheou of the Agion Oros had a small church which was named after the Evangelist and Theologist loannis. This is also how the village Theologos obtained its name.

The second written statement about Theologos was written in 1384, the year where the will of the lord of Christoupolis (Kavala) was also written. This man was also the founder of the monastery of the All Mighty at the Agion Oros, loannis. It seems however that at that time, there was no existing community in the village. We then had an area called Theologos' to which the monks of the Agion Oros used to use a large amount of water from the area and its dense vegetation. There, they also built many small churches and watermills.

Theologos as a village, was firstly colonized when Turkish settlers settled in Thassos between the years 1479-1538. The village was firstly built on the left side of a small river. More specifically, two separate parts were built, one part for the Turkish Christians and the other part for the Greek Christians. The landmarks of the two separate parts is where we find today the small church 'Michael Arhangellos'. The 'jami' (Turkish church) and the cemeteries of the Turks, were close to the even today existing bridge. Another very important statement which was believed to be a 16th century artifact, (which is today a collapsed statement) was the Tower which was situated on the other side of the village. Until the year 1950 almost all of the old village existed, for instance, the walls of the houses which had a height of 1,5-2 meters, the interior was often used by local people for agriculture and some locals took rocks and used them for building or for other needs.

For us to understand exactly why Theologos was built, besides the fact of the arrival of the Turks and after their conquest, we have to take in mind the following:

• From the 14th century and onwards, the coasts of Thassos as the other Aegean islands had many Pirate invasions. Pirates plundered flourishing and rich coastal settlings, with the stealing of people and goods. The Pirates spread fear and panic to the local people because of slaughtering and many other different catastrophes. Until today the surviving toponymy of a place, the name Murderer (Fonias) reminds you of the group slaughtering done by the Pirates, and by the oral legends of the local people, lives on until today the histories and terrifying facts which are related to this period. These were the reasons why the local people panicked, deserted their homes and left behind their belongings at the coastal areas, to find shelter on the interior part of the of the island and in areas with no coastal view.
• Apart from that, we must remind you about another historical fact. Right after the conquest of Konstantinoupolis by the Turks in 1453, many Greeks from the Polis deserted their Kingdom, wandered through the Aegean Ocean searching for shelter and to save themselves from the slaughtering and the slavery. A large group of them found shelter in Thassos and settled in a place of Theologos named 'Polites' where there was water and land for agriculture. Later two parts of the area where established, the up part of 'Polites' and the down part of 'Polites'. The ruins of churches and houses of 'Polites' survive until today.

Theologos was therefore established by Turkish conquerors, from the coastal people who came from Konstantinoupolis (Polites). Later however, the population increased because of its economical flourish and the arrival of many foreigners, especially from Epirus, West Macedonia and from other places of Greece.

This is finally how Theologos was established. The people from Theologos however did not have their coastal homes and land unattended. In 1708 we had the village Theologos which owned 1/3 of the island Thassos and was increasing in a very fast rate into a rich and large capital village. The other two parts of Thassos however, was withering because of the isolation of Thassos because of the Pirates.

Theologos was flourishing politically, economically and in civilization. Until half of the 19th century, Theologos was the capital of Thassos. Prominent habitants of Theologos occupied main political positions, governing Thassos and determining what's best for the island. Notables, like Metaxas Dimitrios, Metaxas Michalis, Ligiros, Tsorbatzis Sotiris, play a first and basic role in political and communal matters of Thassos. On the 30 of March 1813, Thassos, by order of the Sultan Machmud the second, was given over to Ahmed Ali Pasa of Egypt. The Egyptians gave Thassos many rights and in this way, Thassos obtained a particular autonomy and which gave them very important freedom for that time. Thassos was governed by its president which was some kind of prime minister, 'Bas Tsorbatzis' who was based in the Capital of Thassos, Theologos. The first Tsorbatzis was Hatzigiorgis, the second was Hatzigiannis, and the third was Hatzistamatis. Hatzigiorgis was anitiated to the 'Filiki Eteria' from his fellow country man Kallinikos Dimitriadis. Hatzigiorgis called together a conference at his home in 1821 and then he deadered the revolution against the Turks. He brought ships from the island Psara and organized the Thasians to fight against the Turks and the Turks to save themselves, firstly found shelter in the village 'Kazaviti' and then fled to Kavala. The Revolution in Thassos however was suppressed after six months and Hatzigiorgis was forced to leave Thassos. He then firstly went to Siros and Tinos and then he went to Egypt. He later returned to Thassos and died to Theologos a bitter man, before the year 1925. His actions were continued by his stepson Dimitrios Hatzigiaxis or Dimitroudis, but mostly by his grandson Konstantinos Dimitriadis who studied medicines in Switzerland and later returned to Thassos, where he played an important role in the political matters of the island.

Theologos was in fact the richest village and a particular Motherland to all notables and all the politicians of Thassos, there were two communities , one on the top (upper) part of Theologos and one on the down part of Theologos, there where also, two schools and two panshes. The local people of Theologos were becoming six times as many because of the large amount of foreigners who were arriving after the year 1821 and who later settled in their village. Many of the foreigners had high economic power and many were very high classed and educated people. The movements and revolutions that took place in Greece between the years 1878 & 1897. The local people of Theologos who volunteered, took part in the revolution and were rewarded for their actions. Because of the severe measures taken by the Egyptians, the local people of Theologos revolutionized against them, having support from all Thassians who where organized and directed for the revolution. The revolution broke out in Theologos in 1902 against the Egyptians because they took away the local peoples rights and privileges. In 1902, in a local demonstration, three local people from Theologos were murdered and in result, the organizers asked for the interruption of the 'Ypsili Pili' who did in fact intentioned and in turn took away Thassos from the Egyptians and annexed by the Turks. This annexation took place until 8 o'clock in the morning the 18th of October 1912, where Thassos was liberated completely from the Turks and finally returned to the arms of Greece.

After the liberation, during World War 2, Theologos temporarily enslaved by the Bulgarians. Today's colonization's of Theologos has evolved in such a fast mannes from tourism (Peukari, Potos, Asrtris, Thimonia, Aliki, Kinira) and the village itself is preserved by its traditional form just waiting for the love and care of its children.

WRITTEN IN ABOUT YEAR 2K.