The Cretan Tradition of

Asceticism

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 Paraskevi church at Aitania

A few meters north of Aitania village starts an impressively steep downhill dirt road leading to the church of Agia Paraskevi. Agia Paraskevi is located in a valley of incredible beauty filled with ancient tall cypress trees that dominate throughout the region. Just below the small chapel, before water drilling changed the underwater water level, there was a sping called Lazarakis which has now dried up. The church of Agia Paraskevi, despite its small size has an impressive history.

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Saint Kiriaki Church at Labiriana

Very well hidden at a dense grove with oak trees and ancient olive trees is the cemetery church of Agia Kyriaki at Labiriana, Selino district. The very small settlement is just 2km away from Kandanos. Agia Kyriaki feast takes place on July 7, and is dated to 14th century or maybe later.

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Agios Nikolaos church at Chrissi island

The church of Agios Nikolaos is located on the northern side of the island Chrissi, at the site where Tyrian purple was produced and graves are located. It dates back to the 13th century, although it has undergone more recent interventions. The temple is built on the site of an ancient building.

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Church of Saint John at Episkopi (Pediada)

One of the many Byzantine churches at Episkopi, province Pediada, is that of Saint John the Baptist. The temple, dedicated to the Beheading of John the Baptist, bears exceptional frescoes dating back from the 14th century. On the floor there are two graves, while on the exterior wall it has an arcosolium (tomb monument) that probably belongs to the founder of the church.

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Saint John the Apostle church near Agia Varvara

Between the villages Agia Varvara and Megali Vrysi, on a plateau full of vineyards, olive trees, almond trees and oaks we meet the church of St. John the Theologian. This point is located at 600 meters altitude, in the center of the island, and is of particular geological interest because it is the highest point in Crete where we meet marine fossils and shells. The church of St. John the Theologian, which still dominates the area, is surrounded by a large number of dilapidated buildings that are probably the remains of a medieval hamlet or monk cells.

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Church of Saint John at Panassos

Just outside the charming village Panassos we meet the chapel of St. John Rigologos. St. John is accessed via a rough dirt road crossing a region with ancient olive trees and strange rocks formations full of ancient carvings. The area hosts the remains of a Minoan farmhouse and ancient stone quarries.

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Church of Michael Archangel at Kaminos

Kaminos is a very fertile valley with thousands of olive trees belonging to three settlements: Skalani, Prassa and Kallithea. Kaminos was a Medieval settlement, today disappeared, that hosted three temples; the churches of Archangel Michael, the church of Christ and the church of Saint Demetrius.

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Church of Holy Apostles dei Corner

The double aisled Church of the Holy Apostles and St Peter and Paul is located at the foot of Tholi Hill, with the homonym fort, and belonged to the Venetian family of Cornaro. It was built in the 15-16th century and still hosts two arcosoliums (tomb monuments) inside and outside the church (bearing the inscription 1614).

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