St Kiriaki

Among the earliest known inhabitants of Pyrgos was Charalambos Vilaetis, who arrived with his family, shepherds, and flocks from the mountainous region of Epirus at the end of the 18th century. He carried with him an icon of his patron saint, Agios Charalambos, and constructed a small church dedicated to him on the outer part of Pyrgos. This saint was believed to protect the city from various calamities, particularly the plague, during challenging times under Ottoman rule. The Vilaetis family, alongside many other residents, fought valiantly for their freedom.

Centuries passed, and as freedom was attained, the locals remained devoted to their patron saint, Agios Charalambos. Their desire was to build a grand, magnificent church that would surpass the modest original structure located amidst the surrounding marshland. Construction of the church commenced in honor of Saint Charalambos, with the incorporation of distinctive Gothic arches to pay homage to Bavarian King Otto, the first king of the new Greek state. In 1840, during a visit, King Otto witnessed the completed church. Notably, travelers from that era documented details of the church, such as a large marble slab featuring a carved double-headed eagle with a crown, which remains at the church to this day but has been moved from the center to the outer part of the south wall.

Modifications have been made to the exquisite wood-carved templon, which serves as the dividing wall between the main area and the altar. Adhering to the principles of the Greek Orthodox Church, the icon of the Virgin Mary is placed on the left side of the main door, accompanied by the icon of the church's patron saint. However, in the present arrangement, the icon of Agia Kyriaki is located in this position, while below it is depicted the martyrdom of Agios Charalambos, whose icon has been moved to the adjacent space. Below the icon of Saint Charalambos, a depiction related to Saint Kyriaki is displayed.

This change took place around 1910 due to an influx of people from the mountainous central Peloponnese who settled in the town and desired to honor their patron saint, Saint Kyriaki. In 1882, the first bell for the church was crafted and still stands in the bell tower. It bears the embossed inscription "Bell of Holy Church of Agios Charalambos and Agia Kyriaki." A postcard from 1905, created by a German traveler of that time, showcases the impressive altar of the church and reveals that until then, the icon of Agios Charalambos remained in its original position next to the icon of the Virgin Mary.

Since 1946, Agios Charalambos has been established as the patron saint of the city of Pyrgos. However, it remains a paradox that to this day, there is no dedicated church honoring the beloved patron saint of the city, Agios Charalambos, but only a small chapel. Consequently, his annual celebration takes place every year on February 10th in the magnificent church of Agia Kyriaki.