17. Benefactions to the Native Homelands

Expatriates extended their benefactions to their ancestral villages, which, unlike Athens, remained under Ottoman rule. Despite the physical distance—particularly for second- and third-generation migrants—their connection to their birthplace remained deeply rooted. A longing for a distant homeland, brought to life through the stories of their elders, combined with a sense of continuity fostered by ties to the cradle of their Orthodox faith and mother tongue, shaped the ideological framework of the Vlachs' benefactions in the diaspora.

They established churches and schools in their villages, furnished libraries, adorned temples, and donated sacred vessels for religious ceremonies. Additionally, they supported the education of impoverished compatriots by funding scholarships for higher studies.

One notable category of donations included the elaborately embroidered Epitaphs crafted by the engraver and gold-embroiderer Christoforos Zefar (or Zepharovitz) from Doirani, in present-day North Macedonia, and his Viennese workshop. These exquisite gold-embroidered artifacts, highly esteemed among the Greek Vlachs of the diaspora, were offered as dedications to churches and monasteries across the Ottoman-controlled Balkans. They exemplify the Christian tradition, expressed through the lens of Western artistic influences.