Dytiko, Pella

Dytiko is a village in the Pella regional unit, Greece. In 2021 the population was 387.

History
Historically Dytiko was a Bulgarian village named Konikovo (Кониково, ). One of the earliest sources of the village is the Gospel of Kovikovo, a book written by monk Pavel and printed in 1852 in Thessaloniki. It was found in 2003 in the library of the Greek Orthodox Patriachate of Alexandria. It’s written in both Greek and Slavic vernacular, with the aim of displacing Greek and emancipating the Slavic written language.

After 1926 the population consisted of Pontic Greeks who had arrived from Pontus in the course of the population exchange. At that time, a large number of the inhabitants were farmers. Although the official language was formal Greek, Pontic Greek widely remained the common spoken language. This however, has most likely changed among the younger generation.

During the Greek military junta of 1967-1974 public electricity was installed.

Many pensioners of the village are returned guest workers from Germany. They immigrated into Germany during the late 1960s and 1970s when labour was needed. Rural exodus into cities was also a factor for the population decline. In the last 30 years however, the population has stabilized and only slightly changed.

Infrastructure
Today the village has multiple cafés and restaurants along with a bakery and a grocery store. There is an elementary school and a Greek-Orthodox church. Public transport by bus connects Dytiko to neighboring villages and cities. Because there is no secondary school in Dytiko, students above 6th grade have to go to Giannitsa.

Nearby the village is an agricultural factory called Rodi Hellas. It mainly produces pomegranate products, including jam, juice and balsamic vinegar.

Football club
PAOK Dytikou is a Greek football club based in Dytiko. The official motto of the club is Ο Αθλητισμός ενώνει, meaning Sport unites when translated into English.

History
The club was originally founded in 1958 as Aris Dytikou following the name of Aris Thessaloniki. It was changed later to match the more prominent name of PAOK Thessaloniki.

Football kit
As of August 2017 this is the official jersey of PAOK Dytikou, following the standard concept and colours of PAOK Thessalonik i. On the lower back of the jersey a picture is printed, depicting Pontic Greek refugees of the Greek genocide (1913-1922). The picture is a reference to the history of the village of Dytiko, which was settled by refugees who fled the genocide in Pontus.