On Saturday, May 28, 2022, the ‘Agios Polykarpos’ Brotherhood of Asia Minor Greeks of Chania commemorated the centenary since the Asia Minor Catastrophe by organising a blessing of the icons that their refugee ancestors had brought with them from their homelands. They chose the church of Agios Nikolaos due to its deep connection with the town’s refugee history. It was the main church of Splantzia, an area which received a large number of refugees since its Muslim residents had already abandoned it, leaving their homes behind.
Half of an icon of Agios Eleftherios survives in Chania. We can see half the body of a saint dressed in blue, green, red and white holding a sceptre. The face of the saint is missing, but the name ‘Eleftherios’ remains. The wood on which the figure of the saint has been painted has been torn in half.