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were not allowed to perform any of the religious practices. Locals told me that important
religious feasts such as Easter or Christmas were nevertheless secretly celebrated.
During my fieldwork I attended church service almost every Sunday. Numerous villagers
have accepted my presence in a positive way. According to some peoples’ opinion my weekly
attendance of the church service proved me as being kali kopela (good or good hearted girl).
Along with the language, sharing of the religious practices provided me with another “permit”
for entering the daily lives of the local people. The question of my religion or better “if I am a
Christian” was one of the constants, which accompanied me throughout my fieldwork. My
answer that I grew up in the catholic tradition was accepted approvable by most of the locals,
who added that both traditions, Orthodox and Catholic, are of the same origin. Regardless of
their approval, there was a period, especially during the first months of my stay in the village,
when many local ladies paid permanent attention to my acts and behaviour in the church. In
particular, they smirked about my way of crossing, which was typical for Catholics and thus
different from their own.
1.7.2. Churches of Dhërmi/Drimades
When the villagers describe their village they often expose the large numbers of small
churches and chapels that are scattered all over the village. There are more than 30 of them,
the most historically important being the three churches dating back to 12 th and 13 th century:
Panayia Pano (St. Mary uphill) is located on the hill overlooking the central hamlet, Panayia
Kato (St. Mary downhill) and Ag. Stephanos (St. Stephan) are situated by the coast. Whilst
these small churches are mainly in use on their name-day party, the churches of Ag. Haralamb
and Ag. Spiridonas are in the regular use almost every Sunday and on the feast days. Besides
the churches the monasteries also enjoy important status in the village. One of them Ag.
Thodoros (St. Thodorus) is situated on the coastal crag at the end of the village and the other
one, Stavridi (Cross), is located in the mountain valley. On a mountain pass in Thunderbolt
the Mountains is located a small church Ag. Pandaimonio (St. Pandemonium).
In every neighbourhood (ghitonia) of the central hamlet of Dhërmi/Drimades there is a small
church that was built by its inhabitants. People in neighbourhoods belong to a cluster of
patrilines. They hold masses in these churches, usually on name-days of saints after whom the
specific church or one of the members of the patriline is named. Massive emigration has
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