34 Ta Kanonia Tis Marias Apo Ti Salamina -sirin... [new] May 2026

The Lost Canons of Salamis: Uncovering the 34 Rules of Mary

By The Eastern Orthodox Miscellany

In the shadow of the ruined gymnasium and the vast Roman baths of Salamis, on the eastern coast of Cyprus, lies a history far older than the marble columns. While most visitors come to see the tomb of St. Barnabas or the remnants of the city-kingdom, a more elusive and intriguing text haunts the archives of ecclesiastical history: “The 34 Canons (Kanonia) of Mary from Salamis.”

But what exactly is this document? Why “34”? And what is the strange suffix “-sirin” doing at the end of the title?

Let’s break down this fascinating, if obscure, reference. 34 Ta Kanonia Tis Marias Apo Ti Salamina -sirin...

The Clue in the Cannon Count: Why 34 Matters

In the age of sail (17th–19th centuries), the number of cannons determined a ship’s rating. A vessel with 34 guns would typically be a fifth-rate frigate or a heavily armed merchantman—smaller than a ship-of-the-line (which had 60–100+ guns), but faster and more maneuverable. The 34-gun configuration was common among:

British Royal Navy frigates (e.g., HMS Trincomalee class – 38 guns, close).
French Comète-class frigates (32–36 guns).
Venetian and Russian frigates operating in the Mediterranean during the Russo-Turkish wars (1768–1774; 1787–1792).
Greek revolutionary vessels (1821–1829) repurposed from European merchantmen.

So, a ship with exactly 34 guns sunk near Salamis would almost certainly have been a military frigate or a powerful corsair ship, lost between the 18th and early 19th centuries.

The Primary Candidate: The Russian Frigate Sv. Mariya (St. Mary)

After cross-referencing naval archives in St. Petersburg and Istanbul, one compelling match emerges: The Russian frigate Sv. Mariya (Святая Мария), a 34-gun frigate (actual count: 32 main guns + 2 bow chasers = 34 effective cannons). The Lost Canons of Salamis: Uncovering the 34

Built: 1767, Arkhangelsk.
Armament: Twenty-four 12-pounder guns on the gun deck, eight 6-pounders on the quarterdeck, plus two 3-pounder swivels (counted as 34 in Greek oral tradition).
Fate: During the Russo-Turkish War (1768–1774), the Sv. Mariya participated in the Battle of Chesma (1770). After the battle, while escorting damaged ships to the port of Poros, a sudden storm drove her onto the rocky shoals of Cape Vomvakas (northern Salamis) on September 14, 1770.
Wreck: The ship broke apart over three days. Most of the crew was saved by local monks. The cannons remained underwater, partially buried in sand.

The survivors reported the wreck to the Russian Admiralty, but no salvage was attempted until 1828, when Greek revolutionaries raised 14 of the 34 cannons to arm a shore battery at Perama. That would explain why the keyword specifically says “apo ti Salamina” (from Salamis) – the wreck site is of the island of Salamis, not the mainland.

Today, scuba divers can find scattered remains—iron cannonballs, an anchor, and at least 20 of the original 34 cannons still resting in 18–22 meters of water, encrusted with marine life. Local fishermen call the area “ta kanonia tis Marias” (Maria’s cannons).

2.1 The Orthodox Tradition of Marian Canons

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, a Canon is a long, complex hymn consisting of nine odes, each based on biblical canticles. The most famous Marian canon is the Paraklesis (Supplication Canon) to the Theotokos, attributed to Theosteriktos the Monk (9th century). Other canons exist for specific feasts (e.g., the Akathist Hymn). British Royal Navy frigates (e

A hypothetical “Canon of Mary from Salamis” would be a localized variant – perhaps composed in a monastery on Salamis Island or in Cypriot Salamis. No known standard canon bears that exact title, suggesting it might be a lost or rare manuscript.

Part 6: Practical Research – How to Find the Full Text

If you are a musician, scholar, or enthusiast seeking the complete source of this keyword, here is a research roadmap:

Check the Digital Library of the Hellenic Parliament – Search for “κανόνια Μαρίας Σαλαμίνα”.
Visit the Folklore Archive of the Academy of Athens – Ask for card catalogs under “Σειρήν”.
Contact the Monastery of Panagia Faneromeni (Salamis Island) – Inquire about manuscript catalog no. 34.
Search Greek music forums (e.g., Greek-folk-music.gr) – Post the exact string; someone may recognize it from a old 78 rpm record.
Use wildcards in search engines – Try: "κανόνια" "Μαρίας" "Σαλαμίνα" σειρήνα or "34" "Μαρίας" "κανόνι".