About 8 kilometers away from the town of Chios, built in a hill, further
down from Agios Georgios Sikousis, is the small village Zifias. The people who
lived in Vassileoniko used to call it Zofia, those who lived in Agios Georgios
called it Joufia. It was also mentioned as Zofades or Zifia. Some people believe
the name comes from the last name Zizifias and some others from the "zuffe", the
Arabian "zuffore". It is an old village, even older than that of Agios Georgios,
as there exists written testimonies that the village Agios Georgios was built
by the citizens of Zifia. At the border of the two villages the Monastery of Agios
Georgios Sikousis was built, which was then called "old Monastery".
There the three Agioi Pateres (=Holly Fathers) who led a hermit's
life lived. Later they built the monastery of Agioi Pateres that has their name,
and with the financial help of the Byzantine Emperor Konstantinos Monomachos they
built the famous monastery of Nea Moni, which is a very important religious monument
of Christians. Walking through the narrow paths of Zifia, the way that the houses
are built so close to each other is very impressing. They are houses built in
bad times, when the island suffered from conquerors and the citizens had to jump
from roof to roof many times, to escape. Still, on every old house that remains,
you can read the date of its construction, as it is written on plaques of marble,
usually on the wall above the main entrance. A typical one is found above the
wooden door of the old municipal school (1869).
