Nisi, Imathia

Nisi (Νησίον) Imathia

Nisi is a village in the Prefecture of Imathia [1], which belongs administratively to the Municipality of Alexandria. According to the 2011 census, it has 1,384 inhabitants. Nisi owes its name to the islet of the tributary of Aliakmonas [3] in which the bones of Saints Cosmas and Damianos were found, on which the homonymous monastery was later built. In addition, the name is due to the fact that its old settlements were built on land, which were islets of Lake Giannitsa [4]. According to tradition, the village was scattered every 5-10 houses in various places (such as in the location "Bachchi", north of today's village). However, when the bones of Saints Cosmas and Damianos were found (in a turtle shell), a small church and later a monastery were built, with the result that the inhabitants of the surrounding settlements gradually began to gather around the Monastery, creating a single settlement. This particular tributary still exists today behind the old Monastery as a drainage ditch.

Its inhabitants were originally fishermen and small farmers. After the drying up of Lake Giannitsa, families from various places began to settle, mainly in areas east and south of the Monastery. After the Asia Minor Catastrophe and the exchange of populations, several Greek families of Asia Minor settled on Nisi, while later (1938-40) Vlachs from Seli, Pontians from Goumenissa Pella and Daskiotes from Daskio, Imathia (1944-45) settled.

Nisi in the Macedonian Struggle

Nisi actively participated in the Macedonian Struggle [5], offering valuable services, both to its villagers and to the monks of the Monastery of Agioi Anargyroi. From Skala on Nisi, the Greek armed forces were guided by the local drivers on Lake Giannitsa, who were very well acquainted with the area of ​​Valtos. One of Captain Gunn's most famous drivers was Thomas Cabran. The village hosted most of the figures of the Macedonian Struggle, such as Papatzaneteas, Demestihas, Stavropoulos, Agras, Anagnostakos, since Nisi was one of the safest and most important bases of the Greek Armed Forces.
The burning of Nisi (March 14-15, 1906)

On the night of March 14-15, 1906, the village was set on fire, resulting in the death of many of its inhabitants. In early March 1906, Greek armed forces attacked Bulgarian agents in the exarchate villages of Golo Selo (Gymna), Agia Marina and Golesani (Lefkadia). In retaliation, the Bulgarian komitatzides [7], with fifty-five men and bottles of beer supplied from Veria full of oil and kerosene (as they themselves confess), entered the village and set it on fire in order to destroy it, so that its inhabitants could stop. to help the Macedonians. Panic erupted and 27 houses were burned (according to Captain Gon), incalculable damage was done and many villagers lost their animals which were either burned or killed. The most tragic event is the loss of six-year-old Thomas Spanos, but also of Konstantinos Spanos, who was killed by the Bulgarians. The quick intervention of the Greek troops forced the raiders to withdraw and the village to avoid the worst.

References

"Greek census 2011 (de facto) / Regional Unit of Imathia - Wikipedia". el.wikisource.org. Retrieved May 3, 2020.

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