Last Friday, November 18th, residents in Eordaia (Greek: Εορδαία), a municipality of Kozani, celebrated the return of seven icons which were stolen 31 years ago in 1982 from the Folklore Museum of the Community.
These icons were brought by exiles from Pontus in 1922 and had adorned the iconostasis of the Church of Saint George in Argiroupoleos of Pontus.
The trial of the thieves took place in 1987 after being arrested in Germany, but the icons had been lost. But thanks to the effort of various presidents and the mayor, they were found in a warehouse of Larissa. Greek police in cooperation with Interpol in Germany and other countries in Europe were in search for years.
They are now in the Tower of Saint Minas which was built in honor of Patriarch Bartholomew's visit in 2005. The oldest icon dates to 1818 and the newest to 1908.
