Vasiliko, Ioannina

Vasiliko or Vassiliko (Greek: Βασιλικό), older form: -on is an Aromanian village in the Ioannina Prefecture in Epirus, Greece at an altitude of 800 m. It is in the municipality of Agios Dimitrios. Vassiliko is linked with the road (highway) connecting Ioannina and Albania's Korçë and Berat, the GR-20 is to the south. Vasiliko is also located south of Dodoni. The village was known as Tsaraplana (Τσαραπλανά) until the early to mid 20th century.

Location

Vasiliko is located south of Korçë, Albania, west of Konitsa, 45 to 50 km north of Ioannina and northeast of Delvinaki.

Population

About Vassiliko

Vasiliko is situated in a mountainous area. Vasiliko is built in an area filled with chestnut trees. Farmlands are within the village area. Its main economy is only based in agriculture, some businesses are added today. The mountains and Albania is to the north, the 40th parallel is nearly 1 km south.

History

Vasiliko was ruled by the Ottomans, it became a part of Greece after the Balkan Wars in 1913 though the rule did not end until 1918 during World War II after the battle. After World War II and the Greek Civil War, its buildings were rebuilt, emigration occurred for the next few decades to the powerful nations and continued well after the turn of the millennium, one exception was between 1991 and 2001. Vasiliko became connected with asphalt in the mid to late 20th century. More pavement was accessed in the late 20th century. Electricity, radio, automobiles and water were introduced in mid-20th century and television in the late-20th century and computer and internet at the turn of the millennium.

Other

Vassiliko has a church, a square ("plateia"). Its nearest school, gymnasium (middle school), lyceum (secondary school) are near the area. Vasiliko is the place where ecumenical patriarch Athinagoras was borne. Athinagoras I, also spelled Athenagoras, original name Aristokles Spyrou (b. March 25, 1886, Vasilikon, near Ioannina, Greece - d. July 7, 1972, Istanbul, Turkey), ecumenical patriarch and archbishop of Constantinople (1948-72). He was ordained a deacon in 1910. Until 1922 he was chief secretary to the Holy Synod at Athens, then was metropolitan of Corfu (1923-30). During his tenure (1930-48) as archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church of North and South America, with a membership of 1,950,000, he became a U.S. citizen (1938), although some years later he was obliged to resume Turkish citizenship. He was deeply influenced by his long stay in the U.S., where he founded the theological college of Sainte-Croix, Conn., and the Saint-Basile Academy in Boston. In 1948 Athinagoras was elected ecumenical patriarch and proceeded to become, in the words of Pope Paul VI, "a great protagonist of the reconciliation of all Christians." At his own initiative, Athinagoras met with Paul VI in Jerusalem in 1964 (the first time the leaders of the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches had conferred since 1439), in Istanbul in 1967, and again that year when he visited the Vatican. In 1965 the two leaders agreed to a revocation of the mutual excommunication decrees of 1054; this historic event was accomplished through simultaneous services in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome and the patriarchal church in Constantinople. Athinagoras was often criticized by Athens for his efforts to reach an understanding with the Roman Catholic Church.

ee also

*List of places in the Ioannina prefecture

External links

* [http://www.gtp.gr/LocPage.asp?id=2518 Vassiliko at the GTP Travel Pages]