Scotland Yard recovers stolen Greek icon

A Greek icon that dates back to the Byzantine Era has been returned to Greek authorities thanks to London's Scotland Yard, authorities say. Authorities with the British law enforcement group handed the "Deposition of Christ from the Holy Cross" over to Greek authorities in London 30 years after the icon was stolen from a Greek monastery, the Athens News Agency said Friday.

SERRES, Greece, Nov. 7 (UPI) --
The icon from the 16th century was taken from the St. John the Baptist Monastery in the Greek city of Serres in 1978 and apparently was cut in half in order to be placed into a suitcase.

Officials at the Greek culture ministry only learned of the icon's location more than a year ago after a Greek ship owner attempted to sell the historical treasure in Athens.

British authorities seized the artifact from the man, who died last year in London, and a court later supported the Greek claim to the lost icon, the news agency said.

The Prefecture of Serres is one of the 13 Prefectures of Macedonia, the largest part of our country in size and wealth. It takes up the Eastern part and stretches from Strymonikos bay, which is on its South side, up to the Greek-Bulgarian borders to the North. It borders on the Prefectures of Drama and Kavala from the East and the Prefectures of Thessaloniki and Kilkis from the West.

It is one of the flattest Prefectures of the country, considering that 48% out of its total stretching is described as semi-flat mountainous, and it is surrounded by the mountains of Kerkini-Vertiskos- Kerdylia from the West and Orvilos-Menikio-Paggeo from the East. Strymon River flows through the Prefecture of Serres. The river starts in Bulgaria and empties into Strymonikos Bay (Orphanos). Its main tributary is Aggitis, in the eastern part of the Prefecture.

The total population of the Prefecture, according to the 1981 census, was 196.247 people, in other words 2% of the country's population. This population is divided into urban (23,6%), semi-urban (19,4%) and agricultural (57,0%).

The total size of the Prefecture comes up to 3.790 square Kilometres, which is 3% of the country's total size. 41% out of the Prefecture's total size is agricultural, something that determines the main occupation of Prefecture's inhabitants.

In the Prefecture there are interesting Archaeological and Historical places that people can visit. These are: the city of Serres, the area of Amfipolis, the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist and the Monastery of Icosifinisa with rare hagiographies, Metaxas' strongholds along the Greek-Bulgarian borders, in Beles mountain. Here is the location "Kledi" where Vasilios Voulgaroktonos exterminated the Bulgarian army in 1014.

The Prefecture's visitors can have enjoyable moments in St. John, a suburb of Serres' Municipality; in the Valley of St. Anargiri, where you can find anything you need in order to have a good time; in Lailias, a place with plentyof greenery and a modern skiing Centre; in Kerkini Lake with the admirable artificial irrigation dam, the hydrobiosphere and plenty of fresh fish; in Ano Poroia with cool mountainous climate during the summer and fresh trouts; in Alistrati, where you can admire the beautiful cave which is one of the best in Europe.