THE ACTIVITIES OF TEPEKÖY (AGRİDYA)

    The biggest activity of Tepeköy and Gökçeada is the VIRGIN MARY holiday on 15 Agust. According to the Christian belief, when a person died he reached to real life from the view of God that's why his death day should be a holiday. For this reason, all the death dates of  Saints are celebrated as holiday. To be able to attend this holiday and pray to Virgin Mary, Imroz people try to come to the island wherever they are. On 14 August, cattle sacrifices were cut. And its meat is cooked in the big boilers settled in the yard of the church. Wheat boiled with minced meat is made in the bone water. On the morning of 15 August, after the rite in church, the cooked meat is worshipped by metropolit and distributed everybody without getting any money. After the rite, everybody goes to the village cemetery. The owner of every grave waits infront of it. In a tray, there are a lot desserts and all passers take from these desserts. In this way, the people who are living show that they did not forget the dead ones and buried them in their hearts. That day was a different day for Tepeköy people. It was a reincarnation time. After the cemetery, everbody goes home. Sure, there are always guests in houses. The table prepared that day is very special. Laughters, slow and nostalgic songs were heard and people rise their glasses. Thet know that these days won't come again, it is now an utopia. In the afternoon, entertainment starts. Actuall, youngsters started entertainment one night before. The streets of the village is very crowded. People drink, eat and sing songs at tables. But!! no guns were triggered or there is no fight. Only entertainment and dance. In that entertainment all youngsters worked and the profit gained is used for the village. On 16 August, there is another activity, Virgin Mary has a monastry in Marmaros. In the past, there were two monks. In that monastry, small cattles were sacrificed. It is 1,5 km away from the sea. It is in the hill of a mountain. Its sacred spring has a miraculous. According to a legend, monastry was built as a result of a miracle.  

    The name of the monastry is BALOMENI VIRGIN MARY. Its history goes back to the first years of Byzantines.