West of the village of Akovos, at a distance of roughly three kilometers, stands the church of Saint George, where the village’s major festival takes place on April 23rd or on the second day of Easter. The old church was demolished, and in its place a striking new chapel in Byzantine style was erected at a remarkably fast pace. Saint George has long been regarded as the protector of Akovos, and the festival held in his honor attracts large crowds from the surrounding area.

Within the spacious courtyard of the church, a shelter has been built for the pilgrims. The same area also includes a small slaughterhouse where the traditional “Kourbani” takes place — a custom dating back to the Ottoman period — as well as a kitchen where the meat is prepared and distributed to visiting guests. Centuries‑old holm oaks complete the landscape, offering their shade to the worshippers.

The Kourbani of Akovos, celebrated on the feast of Saint George, is a tradition rooted in the Ottoman era and dedicated to the saint. In the 18th century, the village elder of Akovos and father‑in‑law of Theodoros Kolokotronis, Karoutsos, sought refuge in the chapel of Saint George to escape the Turks, who intended to behead him. He hid inside the hollow of a holm oak and prayed to Saint George, vowing: “Saint George, help me survive, and every year I will sacrifice a calf in your memory, from which only the visitors — not the people of Akovos — shall eat. And after me, the people of Akovos will continue to serve the guests.”

According to tradition, Karoutsos was saved in a miraculous way: when the Turks arrived with their dogs, the animals barked, but two crows perched on the tree, leading the Turks to believe the dogs were reacting to the birds. Thus Karoutsos escaped and faithfully kept his vow, which has been passed down to the present day.