Free of duty in a holy place in the Aegean

by Martin Moodie |
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Martin Moodie

Martin Moodie is the Founder & Chairman of The Moodie Report.

The Moodie Davitt Report Interim Tinos Bureau is open for business.

For the uninitiated, Tinos is a Greek island in the Cyclades archipelago of the Aegean Sea, about a four-hour boat ride from Athens.

That description barely does it justice. It’s a lovely, peaceful place. And also a holy one. The famous Panagia Evangelistria church, which stands at the top of a hill directly up from Tinos harbour, houses a reputedly miraculous icon of Virgin Mary.

I arrived on the day of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, an annual pilgrimage that takes place here on 15 August. It is considered the most important yearly pilgrimage in the region with many pilgrims making the 800-metre uphill journey from the ferry wharf to the church on hands and knees as a sign of devotion (see below).

It’s a spiritual and relaxing island, offering the perfect tonic to relax after a feverishly hectic work period. I forgot to bring my power adaptor for the local plugs, which meant I was without access to my laptop or phone for the first day. God’s way perhaps of saying I should slow down and simply take in the splendour.

Knowing me, you won’t be surprised that I only listened for a while. We had an amazing special e-Zine edition on Duty Zero by cdf to get over the line after all. But the team back at the London and Galway ranches took over nicely and the job, as always, got done. Now, for a few days at least, I can be free of duty in the Aegean.