What is the superstition behind the snakes at the Virgin Mary Church in Kefalonia?

[auroracoor1]

Hey everyone, I heard a really spooky story about how snakes gather at the foot of the Virgin Mary Church in Kefalonia every year on August 15th (the day of the Virgin Mary). Does anyone know anything about this? I'd love to hear the story and superstition behind it.

 

[axariotisxy]

Small grey snakes (with tounges in the shape of a cross) appear every year around the time of August 15th at the church, especially around the icon of the Panagia. People wait for the appearance of the snakes because they mean it's good luck. I'd love to visit and see them one year, so cool!

 

[acamp7]

There have only been two times that the snakes haven't appeared at the church: right before World War II and before a major earthquake in Kefalonia....soooo spooky.

 

[k_tsoukalas]

That is crazy spooky! I also heard a similar story about Tinos for August 15? Anyone else know about the Tinos story?

 

[scalas]

The story is that pirates arrived to the island and went to the village of Markopoulo where there is a nunnery in 1705. The nuns prayed to the Virgin Mary for protection and the virgin turned them into snakes. These snakes have a small cross on their forehead and their tongue is in the shape of a cross. The snakes appear only on the Feast of the Virgin Mary Aug 15 th and then they disappear the rest of the year.