⭐ 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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Monastery of Christ at Mousses

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After following the road that leads from Mourtzana to the deserted settlement of millers, Mousses, we pass by the former Monastery of Christ. The monastery is located on the western side of the valley of the Mousses and retains the church which is built on the basis of an age-old cypress tree. The temple dates back to the Venetian and berars murals. The Monastery of Christ the Savior is deserted since 1864 and was a dependency of the Holy Sepulchre.

Church of Saint Nicholas at Meronas

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At the point where the camping site of Church was housed near village Meronas, in an amazing scenery with huge oak trees, there is the church of Saint Nicholas and a small spring with fresh water. The nave bears exquisite frescoes of the 16th century, with the austere style of the era. Note the female figures of St. Irene and St. Catherine, which are rarely met insite the "male-dominated" sanctuary.

Christ School at Episkopi

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Between the villages Episkopi and Sgourokefali of Pediada province we meet a beautiful small park with pine trees, in the middle of which there is the old temple of the Lord Christ. The small single-nave church functioned as the temple of a small monastery that was a dependency of the Monastery at Agarathos.

Holy Cross monastery at Sirikari

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At this point, in a wooded setting, operated a monastery dedicated to the Holy Cross. Today the monastery is not operating. The icons in the temple date back from 1886 (painter Papadakis from Rodopou) and the iconostasis from 1883.

Saint Nikitas Church at Fragokastelo

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The Venetian church of Agios Nikitas (13th century) is located approximately 300m NE of Fragokastelo castle, on the ruins of an Early Christian Basilica of the 6th century. The walls bear frescoes from the Venetian era.

Lord Christ Monastery at Nispitas

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The Monastery of the Transfiguration of Christ in Nispitas area, is located 4km southwest of Neapolis. The monastery was deserted during the Turkish Occupation of Crete and only the church has survived until today. Around the chapel there are some ruins of the old monastery complex.

Church of Saint Anthony at Fotinos

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One of the most beautiful caves dedicated Saint Anthony is located in the village Fotinos in the center of Rethymnon prefecture. This historic village is well hidden in dense oak forest and is named after a general of Nikiforos Fokas, Fotinos.

Panagia Skafidiani church at Prodromi

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The small village of Prodromi at province Selino hosts some very old temples with wall frescues of the Venetian era. One of them, Panagia Skafidiani is located at position Skafidakia or Skafidia and has beautiful views to the surrounding area. Inside it bears frescoes dating back from 1347 by painter Ioakim, who belonged to the workshop of the famous painter of Eastern Crete, Ioannis Pagomenos.

Asceticism

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