Vasilios Samolis was born in 1909 in the village Aimonas, precinct of Mylopotamos, Crete and passed away in 1997. He was the youngest of seven children of Antonis Samolis (Samoloantonis) and the only one who played the lyra.

He performed at several weddings and christenings in the village Aimonas and like as the elderly remember he was a good lyra player, was good in cretan poetry (mantinades) and also a good dancer.

He fought in the Greek – Italian war during World War II at the Greek – Albanian mountains. After his return he served as a policeman in Plaka, Elounda of the province of Lasithi in Crete and the surrounded villages.

He had visited several times holy sites lik Mount Athos, Meteora and the Holy Land. His last years he lived in Voutes at the provicne of Malevizi, where he built a church dedicated to Transfiguration of Christ.

Vasilios Samolis stopped playing the lyra pretty young, but never stopped to love Crete, cretan music and creating cretan rhymes (mandinades).

Source:www.aimonas.gr

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