Stasidi of Apostle Paul

On the northern side of Samothrace, at the 7th kilometer of the road from Kamariotissa to Therma, at a green landscape, is the so-called “Stasidi”, a modern monument-pilgrimage which was constructed in memory of the Apostle Paul who visited the island.

Samothrace is the first European land that Apostle Paul visited in 49 AD, coming from Troad on his way to Macedonia, in order to start his travels to Europe. Possibly he arrived with a ship to the port of Palaiopolis and, as it is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles, he stayed in the island for a day and in the next day he crossed over, opposite to Kavala. In memory of his travel to Samothrace, the Metropolis of Alexandroupolis, in cooperation with the Municipality of Samothrace, they constructed the monument, at the area where Apostle Paul walked and spent the night, so that there would be a point of reference at the island for all those who wish to follow his footsteps starting from this point here. The construction of the monument started in 2007 and its inauguration took place on the Sunday of Thomas, May 4th 2008.

It is an austere peristyle with a semi-circular shape, built of wood and stone, according to the architectural tradition of the island. It is decorated with four large mosaics that depict representations from the visit of Apostle Paul to Samothrace. At the centre of the peristyle there is the text from the Acts of the Apostles, which describes the event, translated in many languages.

Every year, on the 29th of June, they honor the memory of Apostle Paul with a vigil that is carried out at Stasidi on the night of the day before.