Church of Saint Phocas Church at Episkopi
In a rural area of Episkopi, province Pediada, near Heraklion we meet the forgotten and unknown to almost everyone temple of Saint Phocas (Agios Fokas). Agios Fokas is a ruined church that nowadays has turned into a pile of stones. Only a part of the south wall is preserved today and will soon collapse.
The ruins of Saint Phocas are situated between very old church of Panagia Keralimniotissa and Saint George at Toupaki with the stunning frescoes, which was also a convent. It would not be strange that Agios Fokas also served as a monastery. The construction of the temple is to be found several centuries back, probably in late Byzantine era, after the liberation of Crete by Nikiforos Fokas. The use of ceramic parts between the wall stones depicts that the church was probably built before the advent of the Venetians in Crete.
Text - Photos Christopher Chiladakis
