⭐ Travel Guide for Island Crete ⛵, Greece❗

The arrival of Saint John the Hermit in Crete of the Early Christian Times was the beginning of a great ascetic tradition that continues to the present day. Hundreds of hermits secluded in the most remote parts of the island, forming ascetic communities that later evolved to thriving monasteries. Hundreds of countryside monasteries, most of which don't operate today, are dispersed throughout the island.

A special sample of hermitage is the Monastery Katholiko at Akrotiri Cape in the caves of which hermits lived their monastic life away, from worldly pleasures. Equally important were the religious sites of the secluded peninsulas Gramvousa and Rodopos, where several small monasteries developed.

The greatest hermitage of all was the naturally isolated, and impassable range of Asterousia in southern Heraklion. Hundreds of caves from Saint Nikitas to Cape Lithino still host hermits. Relations between them were so limited that in Agiofarago and Martsalo they gathered only once a year, in cave Goumenospilio and counted how many of them survived each year.

In eastern Crete, the north province of Mirabello is the largest field of asceticism with dozens of small monastic establishments. Here hermits built small monasteries, where they usually lived alone.

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Saint Paul Monastery at Paranimfi

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The former monastery of St. Paul (13-14th century) is located near the village Paranimfi near a spring. All around, we see traces of an ancient temple, which was looted. The church is a basilica with single nave and there are traces of frescoes.

Keramota plane tree

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At the picturesque village Keramota in province Mylopotamos we meet one of the several monumental trees of Crete. This is the perennial plane tree at the eastern end of the village. The tree in Keramota belongs to the species of Platanus orientalis and its age is estimated at about 2000 years. It is the oldest tree in province Mylopotamos and although it is located on the main road, almost everyone ignores its existence as it is located a few meters further down the road, thus the drivers see the upper part of it.

Panagia Kera church at Amari

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The beautiful church of Panagia Kera by Amari village is hidden amongst olive groves. The three-aisled church of the 15th century is built on the place of a previously damaged cruciform church with a dome (13th century), which in turn is believed to have been built on the site of a Grecoroman temple of Apollo.

Lord Christ church in Neapolis

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The large cemeterial church of Neapolis is a double-aisled church dedicated to Christ the Savior and All Saints. The church bears frescoes of the 14th century in relatively good condition. The existence of tanks suggests that the site was used as a small monastery.

Church of Panagia at Kyrianna

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The Church of the Panagia (Virgin Mary) is located at the center of the village Kyrianna and is dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. The original church (11th century) was a cruciform temple with a dome and looked like the chapel of Saint Paul at Sfakia.

Church of Saint John Theologian at Stylos

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The temple of Saint John Theologian and St Nicholas is built at the entrance of the village of Stylos. This is a complex of three buildings, dating from the 13-15th century and preserving a fragmentary mural decoration of the 13th, 14th and 15th century.

Church of Saint Paraskevi at Kalogeros

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The church of Agia Paraskevi is a dependency of Asomati monastery. It is small cruciform church with a reserved arcosolium (tomb) and only one mural surviving. The frescoes depicts Christ blessing the donors of the temple.

Lord Christ Church at Jiouktas

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The Monastery of Christ the Savior or fendis Christos served as a Venetian monastery and was well known to all travelers coming to Jiouktas, to see the place where the ancients placed the tomb of Zeus.

Asceticism

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