⭐ 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 Kalogrades at Fourni

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The monastery of Kalogrades (Nuns) is located at the position Chonos near Fourni village, very close to the monastery of Kerapolitissa. It operated as a nunnery during the Venetian period, but it is now deserted and only the renovated temple celebretes on August 6, as it is dedicated to the Lord Christ.

Saint George Church at Kato Prina

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At position Kato Prina between the villages Prina and Meseleri we meet the church of St. George, nicknamed the “secret school”. The Byzantine church of Saint George is very well hidden in a hillside surrounded by very dense vegetation of shrubs, trees and gardens.

Church of Saint John Baptist at Kefali

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One of the many churches that are devoted to Saint John, but remains unknown is located on the road connecting the villages Episkopi and Kefali. Agios Ioannis (Saint John) stands right on the edge of the road and at first glance seems to have the appearance of a modern church.

Saint Demetrius Galatoktistos at Kastri

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The Venetian church of Agios Dimitrios is located Kastri settlement and was the main church of the homonymous monastery. Today the cells and the other buildings of the monastery are deserted. The church is single-nave, vaulted and two entrances (south and west). The name Galaktoktistos means built with milk and is taken after the legend according to which the church was built with milk offered by the local shepherds.

Panagia Faneromeni church at Episkopi

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The temple of Panagia Faneromeni at Episkopi (Province Pediada) is a doubled-aisled vaulted basilica with the south aisle dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin Mary and the north to All Saints. It was the main temple of the village, after the destruction of the episcopical (diocese) temple of Megali Panagia (Episkopi means Diocese in Greek and the village was a seat of the local diocese).

Saint Onoufrios Church at Kambanos

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At village Kambanos in Selino province we meet the small and single-room church dedicated to Saint Onoufrios (Onuphrius). The cinterior bears samples of frescoes dating back to the Venetian era.

Saint George church at Avdou

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This is the current cemetery church of Avdou. The temple dates back from the 14th - 15th century and it bears frescoes of the painters Emmanuel and Ioannis Fokas.

Church of Saint Paraskevi at Sellopoulo

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In the middle of the road that connects Kallithea to Knossos, we meet the deserted hamlet of Sellopoulo, on the bank of Keratos river, known to archaeologists due to the domed tomb found here. Below and next to the road we see the single-aisled church of Agia Paraskevi, bearing damaged frescoes dating from the Venetian era.

Asceticism

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