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One of the most beautiful traditional festivals of our country is the unique celebration of Agios Simios (Ai Simios). The Monastery of Agios Simios celebrates twice a year, on February 2nd and on the weekend of the Holy Spirit (movable festival, usually in June).
Every year, during the three-day holiday for the Holy Spirit, the town of Messolonghi is turned into a special festival. The whole center of the town is filled with traditional music and from Friday morning the locals start eating, drinking and dancing. Also horse riders, from all over the prefecture, with their horses come to participate in the festival, always under the sounds of tabors and flutes.
The revival of the heroic sortie takes place annually in the presence of representatives from foreign states as well as prominent representatives of literature and art from both Greece and abroad.
Messolonghi proudly welcomes the political and state leadership of the country, together with the arrival of the President of the Greek Republic. At the same time, the Sacred City welcomes many visitors who come as pilgrims so as to honor the greatness of this annual “funeral”.
The festivities culminate one week before Easter, in the procession of the Holy Icon of the Exodus, from Saint Spiridon to the Garden of the Heroes, accompanied by thousands of young men and women from all over Greece. On Saturday night, after the slow- paced night parade and a memorial service, the blasting reconstruction of the hero Christos Kapsalis with the participation of the Messolonghi choir takes place.
The Sacrifice Road Race is a race held annually, the day before Easter, to honor the fighters of Messolongi, in which the runners actually take the reverse route, followed by the Free Besieged.
Athletes from across the country take part each year in this race which begins from the monastery of Ai Symios. The finish line is in the Garden of Heroes, and the total distance being covered is 9,800 meters.
In April 1946, on the initiative of a gymnastics trainer from Palamaiki School, Giorgos Polichronopoulos, the first race took place. The organization of this race is always held by the Gymnastic Association "Charilaos Trikoupis".