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Photographer’s Note

A small historical background to explain the Greek's presence in Corsica.
In 1675, the inhabitants of Vitylo, village of the Peloponnese or Morée (Greece), forced to become expatriates to escape the Turkish yoke, requested an asylum from the republic Genoese, mistress then of the littoral of Corsica. It is the territory of Paomis, in the west of the island and 5 or 6 km of the sea, which was reserved for them. In April 1676, Greeks, having at their head the noble family of Stéphanopouli de Comnène and their Mgr bishop. Parthénion, unloaded with the port "of the Monks" to the number of approximately eight hundred people.
Soon the houses rose and the fields covered cultures; in few years, their village became one of most beautiful and most prosperous. Unfortunately, in 1731, the close peasants, especially those of Niolo, Renno, of Vico, jealous of this prosperity of the young colony, afterwards of multiple vexations, delivered a general attack to him destroying Paomia, and it had to take refuge in Ajaccio. There, the religious authority gave up to him, for the celebration of the offices, the chapel known as della Madonna del Carmine, now called "Greeks chapel", on the road of the Sanguinaires Islands.
A hundred family lived here more than forty years.
Protected by Genoese, then by the French, peaceful the small colony settled in Cargèse in 1774.

Property of the commune, the Greek's chapel is a building protected since 09-03-1927.
It deserves obviously an urgent restoration.

In WS the chapel presented under another angle.

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Additional Photos by Pierre BONA (chinchini) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2377 W: 442 N: 6676] (25550)
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