An elderly Greek Cypriot craftsman in the heart of coastal Larnaca stands out from the crowd with his insistence on exercising the outdated traditional profession of quilt-making.
Antonis Kasiouris from the village of Ormidia opened two adjoining tiny shops – one making quilts, the other wax, 60 years ago in the neighborhood next to Ayios Lazaros church.
Kasiouris also tells Philenews that he opened the quilt shop at the age of 17 and was the town’s second such craftsman. The first one was Costas Pelendritis who actually taught him the art of quilt-making.
Entering the two shops is like diving into another era – one where living was totally linked to hard work.
This is an undisputable fact when one sees the countless photos on the wall which tell the story of the resourceful craftsman.
He has worked non-stop since the age of 11, afterall.
In 1980, he took over the next-door wax-making shop which belonged to a friend after police came to arrest him because he owed money.
He had given him the money and made an agreement that he would stay and continue working. But he left, leaving it all to him.
