Saint Stephen Church at Monastiraki
The small single-nave and arched church of Saint Stephen (Agios Stefanos) is located in the almost deserted village Monastiraki in the province of Ierapetra, next to a water source from the mountain Thrypti. Today's church, which commemorates the first martyr and archbishop Agios Stefanos (December 27), is the result of the restoration of a temple of the second Byzantine period in the 19th century (1894).
The initial temple hosted fresco decoration, from which the conch of the sanctuary is preserved. These wall paintings date back to the 13th century and are some of the oldest surviving specimens of Eastern Crete. At higher parts, we see the depiction of Deesis with Jesus Christ in the middle and Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist on the sides. Lower we see four hierarchs .
