Less than 24 hours before the great feast of the Virgin Mary, visitors, even from the other side of the Earth, have begun to flock to one of the most historic pilgrimages of Orthodoxy, that of Panagia Soumela on Mount Vermio.

“Panagia Soumela is a global pilgrimage for Pontians – and not only – and this year we have people in our region from every corner of the globe. It has been said for years that due to the large attendance, the ground in the region “drops” by a few centimeters,” stresses, speaking to the Athens/Macedonian News Agency radio station “Praetorio 104.9 FM”, the president of the Imathia Hotel Owners’ Association, Dimitris Mantzios.

As Mr Mantzios says, this year there is a large influx of visitors for the pilgrimage. Many are those who have already arrived in Imathia, having traveled huge distances and thousands of kilometers. “Most pleasing is the fact that this year we have visitors from almost everywhere, even from India -these are Greeks who live and operate there. They came as a small group staying in a hotel in the area. We also have visitors from Australia, the USA, England, and several Dutch people. Several combine their visit to Panagia Soumela with a 4 or 5-day holiday, which includes guided tours and excursions in the wider region,” he notes.

The president of the Association of Hoteliers of Imathia also notes that, traditionally, a large group from America also visits the region. This is a large community, which every year organizes a pilgrimage to Panagia Soumela, and indeed this tradition has continued uninterrupted for the last six to seven years.

“Ecclesiastical tourism strengthens the region with significant “injections” into the local economy, in all sectors. It moves the whole economy. Tourism is a driver of growth and is a strong asset. In addition, it is important that the visitors who come each year have now developed a personal relationship with the hoteliers – they see them as friends, like the expatriate Americans that we hoteliers know by their first names. They bring with them to Imathia every year more and more of their friends from abroad“, concludes Mr. Mantzios.