Holy Chapel of Panagia Vlacherna

Considered one of the special religious pilgrimages in Etoloakarnania, the Holy Chapel of Panagia Vlacherna is situated 18km northwest of Agrinio, west of the artificial lake Stratos and 700m east of the town of Lepenou.
Back in 1903, Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a villager in her sleep and indicated to her the spot where an icon of hers was buried. In this particular place, in a carved recess of a large stone, an icon of the Virgin Mary was indeed found, painted on canvas and bearing the inscription “Panagia of Blachernae”.
It was precisely here that the devout woman who had the vision – and who subsequently embraced monasticism – built the chapel that survives to this day, with donations by locals. Renovated by the parish of Agios Georgios, the outer coating of its masonry shell was scraped off to reveal the construction stones, and it now looks like the original, 120 years ago.
The Chapel celebrates on July 1 and 2, attracting large numbers of faithful flocking to make a pilgrimage to the miraculous icon. Several events are held during the celebration, including the village’s customary feast.