On a ridge on the north-eastern side of the road to Platanistia, a short distance from the village centre, are the ruins of the church of Agia Anna, which was in use by Christians until the early Ottoman Empire.
The temple was literally buried in the earth, and only a portion of a stone semi-dome with a faintly visible fresco was visible. Several of the locals were aware of its existence and made various suppositions about the structure being buried for centuries, but no one was genuinely interested in bringing it to the surface. This continued until June 2009, when the excavation was initiated on the initiative of the village vicar, based on a girl’s dreams in which Agia Anna appeared. He contacted the appropriate authorities beforehand.
His efforts quickly bore fruit: a semi-circular room with a partially collapsed semi-domed roof and a step above the main temple. The remains of the frescoes and the stone-built Holy Prothesis on the left side of the Holy Step. On the south side was the entrance to the temple, with earthen steps leading to its egress.
The temple is sequentially connected to the ruins of two rectangular chambers. According to the priest, a monastery formerly existed in the region. If in the future there is a greater level of interest from the relevant authorities, perhaps we will discover the truth about these ruins that not only inspire our imagination but also move us with their presence.
For the reader’s information, it is noted that this church, Agia Anna, was opened after centuries by the priest who brought it to light on August 29, 2010, in a highly emotive environment.