1732–1884
The church of Agia Paraskevi and its carved mermaid
Built in the 18th century, burned twice and rebuilt, with a walnut iconostasis carried up the mountain on 52 animals.
The church of Agia Paraskevi is the heart of the village and the place that still brings its scattered families together.
Building, burning and rebuilding
- 1732–1746: the first church is built.
- March 1822: it is burned during Ottoman raids after the revolution of 1821.
- 1832: the church is rebuilt.
- 1884: stonemasons from Zoupani (today Pentalofo, Kozani) build the bell tower.
- 1943: the church is burned again during the occupation.
The iconostasis
The carved wooden iconostasis (templo) was made in 1851 or 1853 in the village of Amouri in Potamia, where walnut wood was plentiful. According to the records, it took fifty-two animals to carry it up to Kokkinopilos.
Among its reliefs is a rare figure: a mermaid (gorgona) with a double tail that ends in a bird’s head. The motif is seldom seen in the region; similar ones are known from Pelion, Agrafa and Epirus. It is decorative and gives the carving its symmetry, rather than telling a story.
The feast
The feast of Agia Paraskevi on 26 July is the great day of the village. People from the neighbouring villages and from the diaspora come back for it every summer.