The myth surrounding these small grey/black snakes, which appear to have a cross on their heads and cross shaped tongues comes from the year 1705, when the monastery in the village of Markopoulo was attacked by pirates. The nuns who inhabited the monastery at the time prayed to the Virgin Mary for protection. Their prayers were answered when snakes appeared and scared off the raiders who never returned again.
Every year between the 5th and 15th August the holy snakes appear at the church of Panagia of Langouvarda on the site of a monastery, established as a nunnery and dedicated to Our Lady of Langouvarda. There is a snake festival in the village of Markopoulo on August 14th & 15th and it is a popular event with Greeks from all over the world descending on Kefalonia to celebrate this remarkable phenomenon.
