⭐ 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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Panagia Petraida monastery

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The church of Panagia (Our Lady) Petraida or Petradia was the temple of a small monastery that operated here in the 16th century, possibly as a dependency of the monastery of Asomati. The only surviving element of the monastery is located above the entrance, which bears the date 1843 and the name of monk Joseph who was an abbot in 1860.

Church of Saint John the Baptist at Deliana

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The church of St. John the Baptist at the village Deliana is a single-nave vaulted church that dates back to the Byzantine era. The interior is adorned with frescoes of the 13th-14th century, with the head of St. John 'on table', the Assumption and the depictions of the damned heretics standing out.

Saint George at Hamalevri

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Hamalevri is one of the 18 villages of Palea Roumata, Chania. It is very small with only 3-4 houses and should not be confused with the larger village Hamalevri in Rethymnon. It is hidden in one of the most beautiful chestnut woods of Crete at a hillside overlooking Apopigadi.

Saint John Voulgaris Monastery at Melambes

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The monastery of Saint John at location Voulgaris today is uninhabited and only the church of St. John the Baptist (celebrating on June 24) and a few traces of cells survive. The monastery operated probably from the 15th century and soon gained a huge fortune (thousands of olive trees).

Early Christian Basilica of Eleftherna

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At position Katsivelos in Ancient Eleftherna the archaeologists have revealed the ruins of an imposing basilica. The basilica was built on the site of an older temple of the 3rd century BC, probably dedicated to Hermes and Aphrodite. The basilica was founded by the Bishop of Eleftherna Efratas around 450AD and was dedicated to the Archangel Michael.

Panagia Church at Galipe

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At the small and picturesque village Galype at province Pediada we meet a very remarkable church dedicated to the Assumption of Virgin Mary (Panagia). The church of Panagia celebrates on August 15 and it is a good opportunity for someone to visit the interior of the temple (as it is locked all yaer round for its protection).

Church of Panagia Galatiani at Malia

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The church of Panagia Galatiani or Galeniani is located in Malia and consists of three aisles, as a result of the successive addition of two aisles to the originally single-naved 14th-century temple that today forms the central aisle. The three aisles are dedicated to the Holy Ten Cretan Martyrs (Agii Deka), the Presentation of Mary (Panagia) and Saint Charalambos

Panagia monastery at Astirakias

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The deserted monastery of the Assumption (Panagia) at Astirakias is built at an idyllic location on the east side of Arkadi Gorge. This small monastery still saves its main church and some traces of the monk cells, while we will get impressed by the terraces that were used to keep the soil and for cultivation.

Asceticism

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