Winds and Soul (Greece, Kea)

On the island of Kea , two hours from Athens, the winding roads are punctuated by these small Orthodox oratories called εξωκκλήσι (exokklísi) . These miniature chapels are not decorations but votive offerings : some commemorate a near miss, others give thanks for a cure or the protection of a sailor.

Often hand-built by families, they contain an icon , an oil lamp , or a piece of blessed earth . These oratories line roads, fields, and cliffs, forming a discreet network of spiritual centers . In a country where every breath of wind bears the name of a god, they materialize the tenuous border between intimate faith and inhabited landscape .

On Kea, one of the most famous winds is the Meltemi , a dry and powerful north wind that shapes the vegetation and sets the rhythm of life for the inhabitants. These colorful buildings, firmly anchored in stone, bear witness to a humble resistance to both time and the elements.