Neoi Psathades

The settlement of Neoi Psathades, in Didymoteicho, as indicates by its name, was created by refugees from Psathades of Eastern Thrace that were forced to uproot from their homeland with the population exchange in 1923.

The impressing thing with this village is that Neoi (new) Psathades is just 4 kilometers away from Palioi (old) Psathades on the east bank of Evros, which today belongs to Turkey. From the neighboring village of Amorio, is clearly visible the ancestral village of the residents of Neoi Psathades.

Neoi Psathades got their name from the main occupation of its inhabitants, who were knitting matting (psatha in Greek). In this contributed the fact that in this area there was abundant vegetation of sazia (bulrushes), which is a kind of grass essential for knitting matting.

The residents arrived in Neoi Psathades carrying icons, the bell and other relics of the church of Saint Panteleimon from their village. They initially built a makeshift church, until the present church was built, next to the square, near to one of the two entrances of the village, between the old National road and Nea Egnatia road. The inauguration of Saint Panteleimon in Neoi Psathades took place ​​in 1938.