Mesi () is a village in Thrace located in the Rhodope Regional Unit, Greece. It lies near the Vistonia Bay and the Lake Vistonida approximately 28 kilometers southwest of Komotini and 37 kilometers east-southeast of Xanthi.
In the village there is a Folklife Museum and a fish festival is organized every year.
Origin.
The majority of the village's inhabitants are refugees from Eastern Thrace, primarily from the villages of:
Demographic evolution.
In summary, the demographic evolution of the settlement according to the national censuses is as follows:
Administrative history.
The administrative history of Mesi includes the following changes:
Cultural and Religious Sites.
Churches of Mesi.
Church of Agia Paraskevi.
The Church of Agia Paraskevi is the main church in Mesi and dedicated to the village's patron saint, as it was in Karlikio, Saint Paraskevi of Rome. Construction began in 1954 and was completed in 1957, with its inauguration by Metropolitan bishop of Maroneia and Thassos Timotheus Matthaiakis in 1961. In 1995, a new bell tower was completed, housing a 174-kg bell. Since 2015, the church has also housed relics of Saint Sophia of Kleisoura.
Priests of the church in chronologicall order:
Church of the Dormition of the Virgin.
The Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary was originally built in 1943 by Chrysanthi Syropoulou following visions of the Virgin Mary. The present structure was constructed in 1986 on the same site by the Cultural Folklore Association of Mesi and descendants of Karlikio refugees. An annual feast is celebrated on August 15, featuring a solemn vespers and a procession of an icon brought from Karlikio by Giannoula Papoulia.
Folklife Museum.
The Folklife Museum of Mesi opened in July 2018. It spans two halls and features heirlooms, old tools, utensils, and home furnishings that represent the cultural heritage of the area. The museum is the result of extensive efforts by the Cultural Folklore Association of Mesi and friends of Karlikio.
Events.
The village hosts several annual events, including:
Salt Evaporation Ponds.
Mesi's salt evaporation pond are one of Greece's eight operational facilities, covering an area of 1,400 acres with an annual production capacity of 15,000 tons.
Built in 1913 by the Bulgarians following their descent after the Treaty of Constantinople and the period of the Balkan wars, the salt pans are now managed by Hellinikes Alykes S.A.