Saint George Church at Kavousi
For the usual practices of eastern Crete, the church of Saint George at Kavoussi, is a barrel-vaulted church of large dimensions with two wings on the west side which creates a T-shaped narthex. The great length of the church may have resulted from an extension to the east during a second construction phase.
In the interior of the church a large section of the wall painting decoration is preserved in relatively good condition. As there are no inscriptional signs to help in its precise dating, it is considered a work of the second half of the 14th century or the beginning of the 15th century, based on the stylistic elements of the wall paintings.
The upper bands of the vault are occupied by a full Christological cycle of 16 representations which conclude with the Second Coming on the west section. The Marian cycle and the life of Saint George follow on the lower bands. On the lowest band and the interior of the arches are full-and semi- figured individual saints, while the honoured saint is depicted as a mounted dragon-slayer. Near the exit we see figures of sinners, while on the south side several graffiti survive, the oldest of which has the date 1443.
Until 1935 the courtyard of the church functioned as a cemetery. During the German Occupation (1941-44) the church was used to house the needs of the School.
The church celebrates on April 23 (or on Monday of Bright Week if Easter is after this date) and on November 3 (feast day of the translation of St. George relics).
