Greece is full of summer destinations, promising for unforgettable summer holidays. But a few kilometres outside Monemvasia, there is a small island that is not suitable for this occasion. The special name given to it by its inhabitants, “The Island of the Dead”, gives away the reason for this.

To begin with, it is a tiny island, in the village of Agios Fokas, which is connected to the mainland by a solid “corridor” leading to it.

There stands a small, white chapel, also dedicated to Agios Phokas, “the gardener of souls,” as Christians refer to him, as his garden, while he was alive, was home to any traveler who needed somewhere to stay, whether rich or poor.

The story of Saint Fokas, “the gardener of souls”

St. Phocas was also executed during the persecution of Christians by the pagans. When he learned that the time was coming to arrest him, he left his house to dig and prepare his grave and the next day revealed to the soldiers who he was, the saint.gr website reported. Therefore, even the patron saint of the “Isle of the Dead” was certainly not chosen at random.

The “permanent residents” of the island are, of course, a few graves that surround the chapel.

Although not a sought-after tourist attraction, the island is the only one of its kind in all of Greece, reports a video by the Up Stories team, which has delved into its history.

Here’s the video:

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