Michael Michaelides (Michalos)
1866 – 1930
Michael Michaelides comes from our village and was born in Lemesos. He has been active in the field of social and political life. He studied in the commercial field overseas, more specifically in Beirut and Smyrna. He dealt with commerce and he was a very important land owner.
He acted for a series of years, from 1886 until 1889 and from 1893 until 1897, as a member of the Town Council of Lemesos. In 1894, he was elected member of the Committee for the Weighing Rights of White Vaults for the region of Avdimou. Within the Committee’s duties were to take care of roads and water, from the left-overs of the weighing. The annual magazine “Anogyra” remarks that “it was then that the road in Anogyra was repaired at the location Apikreni”.
During the period 1911-1912, he was a deputy mayor of Lemesos, while during the period 1912-1913, after the death of Christodoulos Sozos, he assumed the duties of the mayor. Later on, from 1913 until 1914 he was mayor of Lemesos,
Michael Michaelides was a member of the House of Representatives and a member of the Legislative Council, in which he was elected twice, during the period of 1888-1891 and the period of 1925 – 1930.
Additionally, he had been a member of both the Greek Educational Council and the National Council of Cyprus.
Michaelides was married to Elegko, a dynamic woman whose name is linked to the construction of the church of Agia Varvara. Together they had four daughters and a son. According to the magazine “Anogyra”, it is said that “the poem ‘Anerada’ was written by Vasilis Michaelides for Michalis’ daughter Tereza, who he was secretly in love with”.
The family of Michaelides would spend plenty of their spare time at their mansion in the village even after Michael passed away.
Source:
Annual Magazine “Anogyra”, vol.2, 2000
Maria Rousou - Michaelidou
Mariou Rousou, known as “Mother Teresa of Anogyra” offered help to her fellow villagers with disinterestedness until the end of her life. The people of Anogyra remember her and talk about her with love. After all, this is evident on a relevant festschrift in the annual magazine “Anogyra”. In particular, the following were written: “Doctor Maria Rousou, who passed away young leaving an excellent impression to those who met her, gave her body and soul to relieve the pain of her fellow humans. The people of Anogyra got to know her really well because she would always stand by them during hard times of their lives”.
This beloved doctor was married to the great benefactor of Anogyra, Heracles Michaelides. Together they had a son, Michalis, “a simple and approachable man, just like his mother”.
The entire family would visit our village and stay at their mansion quite often. Maria had actually created a small infirmary next to the family mansion. There, she would see patients but she would never accept any pay from them. Offering to her fellow humans was a way of life for her. The old residents of the village “often remember Maria calling in to the sick ones at midnight and explaining to them with the simplest of words what was wrong with them and what cure they needed”.
Maria Rousou was hospitable, approachable and simple. Her house in the village was always open for women friends from Anogyra. She would really care for the women of Anogyra, and for this reason she would spend a lot of time with them. In particular, according to the annual magazine of the community, “she had created groups of young women who she would gather at houses and give good behaviour lessons and generally educate them. Some of them still keep up until today some of the leaflets she would give them”.
Generally, she would spend much of her free time with the residents of the village. Our village’s magazine refers to the simple daily moments the residents shared with Maria. “They remember her sitting sometimes at Myrianthis’ house eating “pasteli”, sometimes at Costis’ for examination, at other times at Michalis’ or at Maria’s making sweet out of walnuts. In her free time, they remember her taking a walk at Parachos. The people of Anogyra would show their gratitude towards her by offering her some of their breeds. They would also cut macaroni and vermicelli at her house when he husband was away”.
When Maria passed away, the entire community of Anogyra escorted her to her last residence.
Source:
Annual Magazine “Anogyra”, vol.2, 2000
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