Towards the city of vrondados there are the remains of a old Byzantine basilica. This basilica is in honor of saint isidoros of Chios. Isidoros was an Egyptian and lived in Chios serving the roman army during the rule of the roman emperor Decius. His rank in the roman army is uncertain but most historians believe he was an officer. The name Isidoros means "gift from the goddess isis".

The Romans made it clear to all Christians that they could not serve Rome and Jesus Christ which they saw as a humble carpenter. The result of this was that many people in this time kept their Christianity a secret and so did Isidoros. One day he went secretly to a church but a soldier noticed him. The soldier reported this immediately to the highest-ranking roman officer on the island. Isidoros was forced to make a choice between Jesus Christ and the roman emperor as his master. Isidoros chose for Christianity although he was tortured and finally killed. Some say that the trees on the island cried of sadness and that the tears were the mastic drups.

He was not allowed to be properly buried and two soldiers guarded his body. A Christian girl called Myrope took his body in the night and the soldiers did not notice anything. The next day the soldiers were to be punished for their mistake, but when Myrope heard this she went to the roman officer and confessed her actions. She was tortured and sent to jail where she saw Isidoros in a vision before she died.

The remains of Isidoros and Myrope were first buried a basilica on Chios. Later his remains were transferred to Constantinople and after this to the church of saint mark in Venice Italy.