On the Name "Skevos"
Question 53: Would you have any idea why the name “Skevos” is so common on the island of Kálymnos? Especially, since there does not seem to be a “Saint Skevofilax”.
Answer: The name Skevos is short for the ecclesiastical office known as Skevophylax, which means "keeper of the vessels." This office was usually held by a cleric. As far as the modern popularity of the name in Kalymnos, from what I read, it is due to Skevos Zervos (1875–1966), who was a prominent Greek Professor; a pioneer surgeon in Transplants and Telemedicine, and who became a local and national benefactor in Greece. Though he may not have been the first to be named Skevophylax, it seems that he was the first to be called Skevos, and seeing that he was a hero from Kalymnos, the shortened name became popular.
