By Catherine Tsounis
The Greek middle class is being destroyed by open borders and the European Union’s support for a culture opposed to Greek language, civilization and orthodoxy. In 2017, at the rate the political scene is evolving, the only country that will maintain Byzantine civilization and Orthodoxy will be the 80 million Russians supported by their state. There are middle-class Greeks from the borders of Greece fighting to keep Hellenism and Western civilization shining. The Pavlo Vrellis Wax Museum is a testimony to a dedicated Epirotean who loved his country. Pavlo Vrellis, a genius, created wax figures in a traditional Greek setting. His work probably makes his museum the only one in the world created with excellent professionalism by a single person: the sculptor Pavlos Vrellis. His soul and DNA touched every aspect of wax figures and influenced architecture. It was not a third party who created the figures for the events of Greek history. It was all his work.
I was able to visit the Pavlos Vrellis Wax Museum thanks to the Kapogiannis travel agency in Tripolis, Arcadia, run by Kostula and Maria Kapogiannis and associates. The museum visit was part of a three-day tour to Lefkada and Tripoli. All for 160 euros with two days of hotel accommodation in a single room. I was ready to pay 100 euros for a visit to the Metsovo museum. Luckily for my budget, the Pavlos Vrellis Museum was part of the itinerary.
We have arrived at the end of spring. Cool, but crowded with tourist buses from Athens. Big passenger Pullmans were everywhere. Long lines of tourists of all ages stretched across the courtyard. The children were amazed to see Greek history come to life. Its location is south of the town of Ioannina, Epirus, in the municipality of Bizani, on the Ioannina-Athens national road. Mr. Vrellis purchased about 4 acres. The buildings are replicas of an Epirotan, 18th century fortress style. The museum hall is circular with levels connecting mountains, caves, houses, churches and alleys. Units focus on pre-1821 history, the Greek War of Independence (1821-1830), and World War II themes. 1 The astonishing fact is that Mr. Vrellis was not rich. He started his professional life in 1983 as a 60-year-old retired director. He worked as a sculptor, architect, painter, costume designer. He was working alone. Mr. Vrellis wanted the visitor to experience the events.2
Wax figures of Epirotian benefactors, who created and still have influence on the Greek state, are presented. They were ordinary men, not particularly handsome or tall. People like them can be seen walking the streets of Epirus. They wanted freedom and a national identity. Their spirit lives on in the Greek working class and retirees of 2017. The day before, I had seen the Ali Pasha museum in Ioannina. An exhibit at the Vrellis Museum showed an elite Turkish soldier holding the head of Ali Pasha.
I asked the younger generation what their favorite exhibitions were. They stated: “The oath taken by the three members of the Association of Friends (Filiki Eteria) 1814; “The explosion in Kouggi, inside the church of Agia Paraskevi by priest Samouil (1803); The Klephts and Armatoloi (fighters); Theodore Kolokotronis; A WWII soldier writing a letter from the Albanian front; Mountainous operational locations in the surgeons’ quarters; Artist’s workshop and Artist.
I asked someone what blew up the Kouggi in 1803? Every Greek child, from a young age, is told that women and children danced on top of Zaloggou mountain and jumped to their deaths, rather than be enslaved. 2017 ISIS is a continuation of this state of mind. There were other heroes: the monk Samouil and the seriously wounded were left behind to give gunpowder to the Turkish troops. Samouil gave it then lit a candle which made everyone explode. Personally, I have no respect for the memory of Ali Pasha who was presented as a hero the day before in Ioannina by a tourist guide. Good deals, but wrong facts. This museum is a treasure trove of accurate historical facts.
The references:
1. Wikipedia Pavlos Vrellis Greek Museum
Pictures:
Photo 1 – The Ioannina-Athens national road
Photo2- An Epirotan, 18 years oldth century fortress style
Photo 3 – The buildings are replicas of an Epirotan, 18th century fortress style
Photo 4 – A WWII soldier writing a letter from the Albanian front
Photo 5 – Mountainous operational locations in the surgeons’ quarters
Picture 6 – “The explosion in Kouggi, inside the church of Agia Paraskevi by priest Samouil (1803)
Photo7 – The oath taken by the three members of the Association of Friends (Filiki Eteria) 1814;
Photo 8 – Artist’s studio
