THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LIBRARY

The combined efforts of Ioannis Prigos and the Ecumenical Patriarch Kallinikos lll, both prominent and leading figures of the 18th century Zagora, are to thanked for the foundation and the acclaimed reputation of this historical establishment. Ioannis Prigos emigrated when he was just a sixteen – year – old boy, in order to learn more and educate himself better. Travelling around Alexandria, Venice and Smirna, he ended up in Amsterdam – Holland where he became very rich through trading, Being a deeply religious man he spent a large sum of money, taking care of the Orthodox Community in Amsterdam. However, most of this great fortune was spent on his hometown Zagora. He had a great desire to improve his country, seeing the progress of Europe and comparing it to the misery and enslavement of Greece. His first generous donation of money, books teaching aids etc, came to Zagora in 1762. At the same time, Patriarch Kallinikos lll, after a short and troubled Patriarchate in Constantinople and a four- year exile in Sinah, came back to his hometown and took general care of its progress until his death; he School which had already been functioning for 40 years or more and to which he gave the name ''Hellinomouseion'' (literally ''Greek Museum'', in the sense of the ''place of the Muses'', place of art and research, in other words a Greek cultural centre).