Akathistos

Markella was born and lived in the village of Volissos of Chios and lived during the fourteenth century. Her mother was a devout christian but her father was an idolater. At a young age, her mother passed away and Markella continued to study her bible, pray to God and live a life according to what she was taught.

Her father began to have sinful desires for Markella. By the time she had reached her eighteenth birthday, her father’s desires had begun to show and his behaviour resulted in Markella leaving home. She went to a nearby mountain and hid in a bush. Her father found her, with the help of a local herdsmen and they set fire to the bush to force her to show.

Markella ran to the sea to escape but her father aimed an arrow at her and wounded her. The blood of the saint dyed the rocks and local legend shows an area that is still marked by her blood.

Her final moments were spent in prayer to Christ with a request that the rocks would open for her to hide from her father and this happened. Everything but her head was covered so when her father found her, he cut of her head and threw it into the sea. Her head floated to the nearby beach of Komi.

Holy water is said to spring from the rocks that mark Markella’s martyrdom and this place is visited by pilgrims. Up until 30 or so years ago, on her name day, the water used to literally boil during the service. Unfortunately this doesn’t happen anymore, however the Saint still performs miracles to this day. On her name day people from Chios, from all of Greece, and from all over the world make the pilgrimage to her church.

taken from here and here