Regardless of where life takes us, our roots continuously shape who we are. The freedom to remember, revisit, and share these roots with future generations is a privilege I deeply cherish. My family’s origins are rooted in this remarkable place.

My mother experienced great hardship early in life, losing her father at the age of eight. She grew up as an orphan alongside my Theia, and they were taken in by the nuns at Panagia Kaliviani. Surrounded by love in a nurturing environment, they found a sense of belonging. I am profoundly grateful for Panagia Kaliviani, where my mother was raised into a resilient and formidable woman.

Years later, my father visited the grounds, as his Theia served as the yerontissa (mother superior). It was through Yerontissa Nektaria that my parents were introduced, and from that moment, their journey together began.

My siblings and I have cherished many summers spent on these grounds, where we developed personal bonds with the community members who reside there. Some of my fondest memories are of summer adventures at Panagia Kaliviani and exploring the surroundings of Heraklion, Crete.

Since our mother lost her father at such a young age, her father figure became the Geronda at Panagia Kaliviani. My siblings and I grew close to him as well as he stepped in like a grandfather to us. He gifted me my first melissa (minoan bee) which inspired the logo of the brand Favorite Theia.

In 2018, my brother, Andrew Gonedes, founded the PKO NonProfit organization. Over the past eight years, we have organized numerous fundraising events to give back to the place that provided our mother with a home. We firmly believe that this place played a pivotal role in shaping her into the remarkable woman she is today, imparting life lessons that she has shared and passed down to us.

She has instilled in each of us the importance of never forgetting our roots, a value we hold in the highest regard.

For more information on PKO, visit PKOCRETE.COM.