⭐ 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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Mitropoli Early Christian Basilica

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The ruins of the Great Basilica (6th century AD) of Gortys are located 200m south of the main archaeological site, before arriving at Mitropolis village. The five-aisled temple, discovered accidentally in 1978, was the largest church in Crete. The temple was dedicated to St. Titus, but after its destruction by an earthquake (670AD), it was moved to the temple inside the current archaeological site.

Church of Prophet Elijah at Agia Varvara

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According to residents of the village Agia Varvara , their village is located exactly in the center of Crete. They say that once two priests started walking, one from Sitia and the other from Chania, to share Crete in the middle.

Church of Panagia at Smilé

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Below the settlement Vrisses at Province Amari we meet the ghost settlement Smilé, which has been abandoned by the mid-20th century. Smilé during the Turkish occupation was inhabited by Ottomans, but nevertheless it retained the Christian church of the Virgin Mary (Panagia), which survives until today in a tragic condition.

Church of Saint George Chostos at Pirouniana

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Next to Axedianos River and close to settlement Pirouniana we meet the Byzantine church of Saint George Hostos. The original building had a dome and later it was extended. The part with the dome bears frescoes in fair condition.

Church of Saint Josaphat at Agios Thomas

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The unusual and impressive carved chapel of St. Ioasaf the Indian is located on the site of an ancient Greek temple, the ruins of which are still around the courtyard. It celebrates on August 26 and there is only one more church dedicated to Saint Ioasaf, in Thrace (North Greece).

Kalogerou at Selino

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At Selino Province we meet the deserted (two centuries ago) settlement of Kalogerou. The settlement was decimated due to plague and soon totally forgotten. The area is wooded with perennial olive trees and is crossed by the stream that then comes into the gorge of Sassalos. The village, possibly built around a small monastery, still hosts the small chapel of St George that bears important, but damaged, frescoes.

Church of Saint George Apidiotis

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East of Stavros, at Cape Akrotiri, starts the well marked path that crosses the small gorge of Mavre and was for many centuries the main route passing through the wild and rugged mountains of Akrotiri to link the villages of the fertile planes to the hermitages of the barren rocky mounts. This seemingly barren and inhospitable landscape was a haven for hermits and is full of hidden treasures that are not visible at first glance.

Saint John church at Karteros

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Next to the beach of Florida, Karteros bay, we meet the cavernous chapel of St. John the Baptist (celebr. August 29) and Saint Nikon the Metanoite (Repent) (celebr. November 26). There are impressive modem frescoes by the Saints of Crete, drawn by Takis Moshos from Monembasia.

Asceticism

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