Relatives, friends, colleagues and ordinary members of the public are bidding their final farewell today to beloved actress Maro Kontou, who passed away on Wednesday 15 July at the age of 92.
With her passing into eternity, she leaves behind a remarkable legacy of unforgettable performances, as well as the memory of a woman who lived her life on her own, uncompromising terms.
Her body will lie in state at 11:00am at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, followed by her burial at the First Cemetery of Athens.
The eulogy at the funeral service of the iconic actress will be delivered by Parliament Speaker Nikitas Kaklamanis, who was also her close friend for many years.
Maro Kontou was a woman full of life until the very end. She never gave up and impressed with every appearance she made, including her participation in the successful television series “I Gi tis Elias” (“The Land of the Olive Trees”). She was also involved in painting, successfully holding an exhibition at the Antinor Gallery in 1993, while one of her paintings is also displayed at the Vorres Museum.
Her success, particularly in old commercial Greek cinema, was immense and, for Greek men and women, she will forever remain the fragile “Elenitsa” from the comedy “I De Gyni na Fovatai ton Andra” (“A Woman Should Not Fear Her Husband”), the spirited “Italian Woman from Kypseli”, the utterly charming and more captivating than ever Lily in “Soforina” (“The Lady Driver”), as well as the ethereal Ismene in “Antigone”, alongside the acting powerhouse Irene Papas.
The loss of her father and the neighbourhood of Koukaki
Marianthi Kontou was born in Koukaki on 21 June 1934, while her roots were from Psara. Her father was a Piraeus merchant with artistic sensibilities, who died after being struck by tuberculosis when she was just two years old.
She grew up with her mother and grandmother in Koukaki, when the neighbourhood was filled with the fragrance of the gardens of its small houses, while her neighbours included the family of Marios Ploritis, her friend Katerina Yioulaki and Nana Mouskouri.
“I have no complaints, neither about others nor about myself. I have worked with almost everyone. And in all my collaborations I have had a wonderful time. I was never in conflict with anyone,” the iconic actress had said in an earlier interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA), demonstrating her greatness.
She was hospitalised at “Attikon”
According to reports, the beloved actress had been hospitalised at the “Agios Savvas” hospital in recent days.
Her health had deteriorated recently, and she had been admitted to the “Attikon” hospital on 15 June due to a serious respiratory condition.
