September 1922.

12,000 refugees arrive in Volos. Large numbers find refuge in storage rooms, schools or other places.

On Wednesday 15 August 1923, on the day of the feast of the Dormition of  the Theotokos,  the Refugee settlement was founded. This  later was to become the Municipality of Nea Ionia.

On 14 March 1926, the foundations to the old Church of the Annunciation were laid by the then Metropolitan of Demetrias,

Germanos.

The believers, mainly refugees, have crowded the church courtyard area of the Holy Church.

A Church that was built by the witnesses of the "Asia Minor Catastrophe" in order to give a home to their faith and to their holy relics that they brought with them, together with their very few belongings.

On the rare photo document, we recognise the Holy Church with its really small dimensions (15 x 8 meter) on the day of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos.

On 25 March 1927.

The Virgin, only hope of the hopeless and aid to those under affliction.

From the personal archives of the believers

come some unique photographs

that depict the first Holy Church. These

give us the opportunity to take a closer look.

A baptism of those days allows us to have a look at the main entrance of the Church.

Easter of 1927,

at the old Church of the Annunciation.

We are even able to recognise the first schools of our area in the two two-storey buildings in the photograph below.

These buildings have remained until today.

However, the small size of the church could not satisfy the needs of the steadily increasing local population.

There were days when parts of the congregation had to stay outside the Church.

 This is when for the first time (1938) money was collected in an attempt to raise the necessary funds for the construction of a new  Church.

The money, however, that had been raised during the first collection attempt was distributed to the yet again hard pressed people.

The war of the 40s and the hunger of the people during the following German Occupation did not allow the construction of the church.

 Efforts then continued straight after the war.

On 15 May 1949, the foundations to the new church were laid.

The icon of Our Most Holy Lady helped collect for the construction of the new Church.

The severe earthquake that hit Volos on Tuesday 19 April 1955, damaged the building of the old Church demanding the acceleration of the efforts for the completion of the new.

 By extremely hard work and effort, the suffering people were able for a second time to collect a great amount of money; many also offered their personal services.

In 1955 the small church was knocked down and the congregation began using the New Church.

At the point where the Holy Altar stood was placed

the altar that we can see today near the main entrance of our Church.

The hard pressed refugees finally

found comfort where their pain could be eased in Our Most Holy Lady, who is the 'haven' of all people.