The banner of the Resurrection and the educational issue

The exhibition presents processional icons and the Resurrection banner, as well as testimonies that present the connection of the banner with the recent history of the village.

In Apollona, an “auction” takes place on the night of Easter in order to specify the person who will have the privilege of carrying the banner of Resurrection in the Easter litany. The process is called “patikiasma”. The financial resources secured through this process were previously used to hire a teacher for the community school and a cantor for the church. Until the early 20th century, each village had its own school and the community was responsible for the education provided.

A story told by residents of the community tells of the "American", a resident of Apollona who immigrated to America and became rich there. Returning to his village every Easter, he participated in the auction of the banner of Resurrection, wishing to carry the banner in the litany himself.

After the occupation of the island by the Italians in 1912, education initially continued to function as it had during the Turkish occupation. Later, however, in an attempt to Italianize the islands, the Italians took increasingly harsh measures against Greek education. In the schools of each community education was free, but no financial support was granted, while the Italian supervisor of education could revoke a school's operating license. At the same time, learning the Italian language was imposed. Later, the teaching of the curriculum of the Italian Ministry of Education was imposed on schools taught in the Italian language, and the time spent teaching the Greek language was curtailed. However, the church maintained the right to religious education and through this process continued to teach the Greek language through ecclesiastical texts.

Processional icons usually have a notch at their bottom, where a handle is attached for the procession. Some of them are also despotic icons, placed on the church iconostasis. In the church of the Holy Cross of Apollona, in addition to Panagia Karyonitissa, there are processional icons of Archangel Michael and the prophet Ilias, while the banner of Resurrection and the icon of Saint George of Mesanagros are exhibited in the main exhibition space.