Religious feasts & festivals

The 15th of August is a major religious feast for the Greeks, who honor the Virgin Mary. The largest celebration in Kefalonia is held in Markopoulo village, on the southern side of the island, where the icon of the Virgin of the Snakes celebrates. Legend has it that this icon was found circled by snakes that appear only once a year in Kefalonia, the week from August 6th to August 17th. In the villages of Markopoulo and Arginia, the Snake Festival takes place every August.