Lykissa Cultural Association «Dormition of the Theotokos»
The village
Perched on the southern foothills of Lykodimos, in the center roughly near the Pylia Peninsula, lies the Messinian village of Lykissa at an elevation of 680 meters, the seat of Lykissis municipality that includes the villages of Agnantio and Gamvria, but with very few permanent residents remaining today.
The village first appears in historical records in 1700 AD. It reached its peak in 1920 with 197 residents, whose main occupations were livestock farming and agriculture.
According to oral accounts, the first family to settle in the village was that of Nikos Pantazopoulos, who came from Arkoudorema in Arcadia.
Established by a decree of Eleftherios Venizelos in 1911, the village’s elementary school remained in operation until 1969. During the German occupation, the school was burned down in 1942 and reopened in 1945.
The Association
The Lykissai Cultural Association, The Dormition of the Virgin Mary, was founded on July 14, 2000. The Association’s purpose is to preserve the cultural heritage and social ties and relationships among residents, as well as to protect the environment. Every year on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption, the village festival is held in connection with the church of the same name.