Kapsas
Encyclopedia
Kapsas also called Kapsia is a community in the municipal unit of Mantineia
in Arcadia
on the Peloponnese
peninsula in southern Greece
. The community is located on GR-74
and GR-33
for northbound land connecting Pyrgos, Patras
and Tripoli and E65, especially GR-37
and GR-7
of the by-pass of Tripoli. Distances from Tripoli
is 8 km NW, SE of Levidi
, S of Mantineia and W of E65
(New Tripoli - Corinth Highway).
Specifically, at the time of the Second World War, September third, 1943 the Allies invaded central Italy under the leadership of Bernard L. Montgomery. Italy signed an armistice and remained outside the war. On September tenth 1943, the Italian fleet surrendered to the ports of Malta and the Mediterranean Sea and the September third, 1943 German and Italian soldiers fought each other in Greece. On September twentieth one is the massacre of Cephalonia, where the Italian Acqui Division surrendered to the Germans on Cephalonia. The following days, 4500 Italians were executed and others 3000 were drowned by the Germans. On October third, 1943 Italy declared war on Germany.
So those days, an Italian soldier named Salvatore Sotiris asked for help from the rebels to escape from the Germans. The rebels led by Salvatore to Kapsia village, which requested the assistance of the teacher of the Village Elementary School, John Orfanos of Paraskeva, to organize residents to alternately hide in their homes the Italian Salvatore. Indeed, all residents immediately mobilized and alternately offered shelter, food and shelter to the Italian Salvatore by German soldiers. The Italian from the first time, accepted the help of the Greeks wanted to help and repay the costs of food, making work in each family, who hosted. From pride, when he did not have work to do, he refused to eat the food offered.
However, the situation was difficult occupation, months went by, food was in lack and the danger of German very big, and have the desire to help the residents, had started to get tired and annoyed. Then the family of John Paraskevas Orfanos who was the teacher of the Elementary School in the village and the family of Nicholas Harmony made to hide in their homes the Italian Salvatore, alternately. The teacher Orfanos Ioannis Paraskevas helped Salvatore as his brother, until the moment that Salvatore was able to board on a ferry from Patras to Italy. Then Salvatore while everyone thought that he had boarded the ship, he did not boarded there. The ship was torpedoed by the Germans and the passengers were killed or drowned. Salvatore boarded on the next ship and he returned to his native Italy. In Greece, all the villagers were believed that he was killed and were sad. After the liberation of Greece from the Germans, Salvatore returned to Greece and visited the village and the teacher of the Elementary school, Orfanos Ioannis Paraskevas in Tripoli and all his friends of the village with gifts, causing pleasant surprise to everyone. All were happy that he had survived. Since then, Salvatore was visiting the village Kapsia and especially the teacher John Paraskevas Orphan and family of the teacher in Tripoli and Athens each summer. His last name never revealed to anyone, because of his occupation, because he was in secret police in Italy as he said. Over the past 15 years has not visited anyone in Greece and everyone think that he will have died because of his advanced age..
The story of Salvatore is real and must be an eternal shining example for all people and nations.
2. Family of doctor George Kapouyannis. George Kapogiannis was the doctor of the village Kapsia in the mid-twentieth century.
3. Family of Paraskeva Orfanos and Konstantina Orfanos, nee Anagnostopoulou.
4. Nicholas Family Harmony. Nicholas Harmony in the Second World War saved the life of a persecuted by the Germans, an Italian soldier, Salvatore. It is a shining example, True and honest family man and citizen right for younger generations.
2. The marble bust statue of Eplida Orphanos of John (1915-2009). The bust has been sculpted by renowned sculptor Zeng located next to the hotel Kalteziotis mansion in the cemetery of St. Nicholas kapsia.
3. The marble bust statue of Nicholas Orfanos of Paraskeva (1893-1975), migrant repatriated to the United States of America, who was the Grand Patron of the parish Church of St. Nicholas Kapsia Arcadia and the elementary school Kapsia Arcadia. The bust has been sculpted by renowned sculptor Zeng located next to the hotel Kalteziotis mansion in the cemetery of St. Nicholas kapsia.
4. The golden, beauty and infinite cash and priceless art icon, very large measure 110 centimeters by 100 centimeters, the Virgin Mary of Deliverance, built by the Moscow Patriarchate in such donation in memory of teacher Orfanos Ioannis Paraskevas and his wife, Elpida of John Orfanos . The icon of the painting shows the Virgin Mary in a very familiar, courteous and accessible to kneeled, form. The gold-coated icon of gold is 24 carats and is a model of perfection in the art of icon painting and gilding. The image is stored in the large church of St. Nicholas kapsia. The image displayed is difficult to worship the crowds of devotees flowing in the village every day, for obvious security reasons. The village priest attends to the safekeeping and hardly presents and explains to worship, although it should be.
If you visit the village you have to insist to see and worship the Virgin Mary.
5. The Cave of Kapsia. The cave is situated 1 kilometer from the village Kapsia, at the southwest edge of the plain of ancient Mantinea. It is part of a system of active and inactive sinks. In front of the entrance are three sinks, which includes stone dam semicircular shape. Inside the cave is located human osteological material, which according to some researchers, from people who drowned during floods in the cave during historical times. The cave was used by the man during the Neolithic, Hellenistic period and the fourth to sixth century after Christ. Touristic interest. Projects exploitation ended in 2009 and the tourist exploitation of the cave was in the Municipal Corporation of the City Development Mantinea the supervision of the Inspectorate of Paleoanthropology - Speleology of Southern Greece. {Text from the presentation of the cave by the Ministry of Culture (http://odysseus.culture.gr [22])}
Mantineia
Mantineia was a city in ancient Greece that was the site of two significant battles in Classical Greek history. It is also a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Tripoli, of which it is a municipal unit. Its seat...
in Arcadia
Arcadia
Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...
on the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
peninsula in southern Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The community is located on GR-74
Greek National Road 74
Greek National Road 74 is a highway linking Pyrgos, Olympia, Tripoli and GR-7/E65. The west to east highway runs in the western and the central part of the Peloponnese. The highway begins in Pyrgos and into the hills and Olympia and used to ran through narrow roads which now bypasses Pyrgos and...
and GR-33
Greek National Road 33
Greek National Road 33 is a highway that runs from Patras, originally at Dimitris Gounaris Street, now begins at the beltway, and had a branch ending at Olympia, and ends near Vytina, and Levídi, and some think it still ends at Ellinikon near Andritsaina and Megalopolis...
for northbound land connecting Pyrgos, Patras
Patras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
and Tripoli and E65, especially GR-37
Greek National Road 37
Greek National Road 37 is a south to north highway linking Tripoli with the GR-7/E55 along with GR-33 and GR-74 at the Tripoli Bypass, Sparta and Areopoli in the Mani Peninsula...
and GR-7
Greek National Road 7
The Moreas Motorway is a motorway in Peloponnese, Greece. Locally it is known as the Moréas , which was the medieval name of the Peloponnese. The A7 begins just west of the Isthmus of Corinth, branching off from Greek National Road 8A...
of the by-pass of Tripoli. Distances from Tripoli
Tripoli, Greece
Tripoli is a city of about 25,000 inhabitants in the central part of the Peloponnese, in Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture of Arcadia and the centre of the municipality of Tripolis, pop...
is 8 km NW, SE of Levidi
Levidi
Levidi is a small town and a former municipality in Arcadia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Tripoli, of which it is a municipal unit. The village sits on the eastern part of the slope of the Mainalo mountains. The pine forests are...
, S of Mantineia and W of E65
European route E65
European route E 65 is a north-south Class-A European route that begins in Malmö, Sweden and ends in Chaniá, Greece. The road is about in length.-Itinerary:* Sweden** E 65: Malmö – Ystad* Baltic sea, ferry Ystad-Świnoujście* Poland...
(New Tripoli - Corinth Highway).
Historical population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1981 | 581 |
| 1991 | 460 |
| 2001 | 505 |
History of the village Kapsia
Kapsia is a small village in Arcadia, but with considerable modern history, honoring the villagers and promote reconciliation among peoples, irrespective of ideological, racial, economic and other disputes.Specifically, at the time of the Second World War, September third, 1943 the Allies invaded central Italy under the leadership of Bernard L. Montgomery. Italy signed an armistice and remained outside the war. On September tenth 1943, the Italian fleet surrendered to the ports of Malta and the Mediterranean Sea and the September third, 1943 German and Italian soldiers fought each other in Greece. On September twentieth one is the massacre of Cephalonia, where the Italian Acqui Division surrendered to the Germans on Cephalonia. The following days, 4500 Italians were executed and others 3000 were drowned by the Germans. On October third, 1943 Italy declared war on Germany.
So those days, an Italian soldier named Salvatore Sotiris asked for help from the rebels to escape from the Germans. The rebels led by Salvatore to Kapsia village, which requested the assistance of the teacher of the Village Elementary School, John Orfanos of Paraskeva, to organize residents to alternately hide in their homes the Italian Salvatore. Indeed, all residents immediately mobilized and alternately offered shelter, food and shelter to the Italian Salvatore by German soldiers. The Italian from the first time, accepted the help of the Greeks wanted to help and repay the costs of food, making work in each family, who hosted. From pride, when he did not have work to do, he refused to eat the food offered.
However, the situation was difficult occupation, months went by, food was in lack and the danger of German very big, and have the desire to help the residents, had started to get tired and annoyed. Then the family of John Paraskevas Orfanos who was the teacher of the Elementary School in the village and the family of Nicholas Harmony made to hide in their homes the Italian Salvatore, alternately. The teacher Orfanos Ioannis Paraskevas helped Salvatore as his brother, until the moment that Salvatore was able to board on a ferry from Patras to Italy. Then Salvatore while everyone thought that he had boarded the ship, he did not boarded there. The ship was torpedoed by the Germans and the passengers were killed or drowned. Salvatore boarded on the next ship and he returned to his native Italy. In Greece, all the villagers were believed that he was killed and were sad. After the liberation of Greece from the Germans, Salvatore returned to Greece and visited the village and the teacher of the Elementary school, Orfanos Ioannis Paraskevas in Tripoli and all his friends of the village with gifts, causing pleasant surprise to everyone. All were happy that he had survived. Since then, Salvatore was visiting the village Kapsia and especially the teacher John Paraskevas Orphan and family of the teacher in Tripoli and Athens each summer. His last name never revealed to anyone, because of his occupation, because he was in secret police in Italy as he said. Over the past 15 years has not visited anyone in Greece and everyone think that he will have died because of his advanced age..
The story of Salvatore is real and must be an eternal shining example for all people and nations.
Remarkable families of Kapsia of Arcadia
1. Family of Kalteziotis. Constantine Kalteziotis served as Member of Parliament and Nicholas Kalteziotis former MP and former Minister of Education. The second one with funding from the European Union restored his family home into a hotel and bought neighboring houses renewing them into bungalows in the village.2. Family of doctor George Kapouyannis. George Kapogiannis was the doctor of the village Kapsia in the mid-twentieth century.
3. Family of Paraskeva Orfanos and Konstantina Orfanos, nee Anagnostopoulou.
- His son, John Paraskevas Orfanos, was the teacher of the Elementary school of Kapsia of Arcadia for 30 years. Born in 1903 in Kapsia and died in 1993. All his students having acquired a good foundation for the study at the school, excelled on their work for their education and their manners and the majority of them are university graduates, teachers, professors, doctors and others. On his days, parents were avoided to send their children to school, and they preferred to keep their children on the farm work. John Orfanos with his personality and his calm and benevolent character was able convincing parents to send their children to school, get an education. When students of the village gave exams for admission to high school, John Orfanos has selflessly tuition to students at his house to help them to enter to the high school. Indeed, students who succeed were making the school of the village Kapsia first in success in the exams from all the schools in the region. Tireless and uncomplaining offered his services to the villagers until his death. In the Second World War, he saved the life of a persecuted by the Germans, an Italian soldier, Salvatore. It is a shining example of the ideal teacher and family man right fair and right policy for the younger generations. He and his wife Elpida Orfanos, nee George Tsantrizou, had many children, Constantina, Evangeline and Margaret. The older son of Constantine, the Doctor of Pharmacy school of University of Athens, Victor George Papagiannopoulos, Pharmacist, Teacher, has now the field’s property of the Orphanos Family.
- The other son, Nicholas Paraskevas Orfanos, repatriated migrant in the United States of America, was Grand Patron of the parish Church of St. Nicholas Kapsia Arcadia and the elementary school of Kapsia Arcadia. Help with huge amounts of money the village and the villagers and stayed in the memories of all, for his good character and the pride of.
- The Elpida Orphanos, the wife of the teacher of the Elementary school John Orfanos, was founder Prophet Elias Church Kapsia Arcadia, nee George Tsantrizou, landowner, merchant, of Pakia of Laconia and his wife Silver Deligiannis. She took the initiative to build a small chapel on top of the mountain to house the icon of the prophet Elijah which was in a stonebuilded clipboard iconostasis. The chapel was small and fit only the altar with the sacred objects, and the priest. When the people saw that the newcomer Elpida built the church, which they had wanted for years to build, they felt bad. Asked Elpida Orphanos to let and help them to grow the church in order all the villagers to be able to get in the church. Elpida with her best friend of villagers took over the collection of money and especially grain (wheat and other agricultural products), which subsequently sold them to wholesalers and with the money collected bought building materials. The young men and women of the village took the transfer of materials from the village at the top of the mountain, carrying them on their shoulders. The builders built the church, then more and kept the old Chapel of Elpida, a sanctuary of the Church today. Note that at that time there was no road or even path leading to the top of the mountain. Neither the mules can climb to the top of the mountain. All materials went up by people who were carrying on their shoulders. Also it was constructed and the water tank next to the church. Today there is a carriageway road leading to the chapel of Prophet Elias. The years that followed, both residents of the village and many residents who had emigrated abroad, offering money and the church has improved.
- The other son, George Orfanos Paraskeva, chemical emigrated to the United States, and helped with huge amounts of money the village and the villagers.
4. Nicholas Family Harmony. Nicholas Harmony in the Second World War saved the life of a persecuted by the Germans, an Italian soldier, Salvatore. It is a shining example, True and honest family man and citizen right for younger generations.
Attractions of the village Kapsia
1. The marble bust statue of John Paraskevas Orfanos teacher of the Elementary School of the village for 30 years. The bust has been sculpted by renowned sculptor Zeng located next to the hotel Kalteziotis mansion in the cemetery of St. Nicholas Kapsia.2. The marble bust statue of Eplida Orphanos of John (1915-2009). The bust has been sculpted by renowned sculptor Zeng located next to the hotel Kalteziotis mansion in the cemetery of St. Nicholas kapsia.
3. The marble bust statue of Nicholas Orfanos of Paraskeva (1893-1975), migrant repatriated to the United States of America, who was the Grand Patron of the parish Church of St. Nicholas Kapsia Arcadia and the elementary school Kapsia Arcadia. The bust has been sculpted by renowned sculptor Zeng located next to the hotel Kalteziotis mansion in the cemetery of St. Nicholas kapsia.
4. The golden, beauty and infinite cash and priceless art icon, very large measure 110 centimeters by 100 centimeters, the Virgin Mary of Deliverance, built by the Moscow Patriarchate in such donation in memory of teacher Orfanos Ioannis Paraskevas and his wife, Elpida of John Orfanos . The icon of the painting shows the Virgin Mary in a very familiar, courteous and accessible to kneeled, form. The gold-coated icon of gold is 24 carats and is a model of perfection in the art of icon painting and gilding. The image is stored in the large church of St. Nicholas kapsia. The image displayed is difficult to worship the crowds of devotees flowing in the village every day, for obvious security reasons. The village priest attends to the safekeeping and hardly presents and explains to worship, although it should be.
If you visit the village you have to insist to see and worship the Virgin Mary.
5. The Cave of Kapsia. The cave is situated 1 kilometer from the village Kapsia, at the southwest edge of the plain of ancient Mantinea. It is part of a system of active and inactive sinks. In front of the entrance are three sinks, which includes stone dam semicircular shape. Inside the cave is located human osteological material, which according to some researchers, from people who drowned during floods in the cave during historical times. The cave was used by the man during the Neolithic, Hellenistic period and the fourth to sixth century after Christ. Touristic interest. Projects exploitation ended in 2009 and the tourist exploitation of the cave was in the Municipal Corporation of the City Development Mantinea the supervision of the Inspectorate of Paleoanthropology - Speleology of Southern Greece. {Text from the presentation of the cave by the Ministry of Culture (http://odysseus.culture.gr [22])}