⭐ 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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Zoodochos Pigi church at Bale

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At position Bale, just before entering the village of St. Basil in southern Rethymno, we meet the Byzantine church of the Life Giving Spring (Zoodohos Pigi). The church celebrates every year on the first Friday after Easter and is built on an elevated position which makes it easily visible from all sides.

Church of Saints Constantine and Helen at Damavolou

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One of the most interesting religious monuments is found just north of the village Damavolou in Mylopotamos province. It is the church of Saints Constantine and Helen, which is built with the same architecture Cretans used to build the vaulted tombs and the mitata. The church is quite new, but it is worth mentioning due to its exceptional architecture.

Church of Saint Marina at Kalogeros

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The cemeterial temple of Kalogeros, Amari province, is dedicated to Agia Marina and bears frescoes of 1225.

Church of Agia Paraskevi in Melambes

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At the eastern end of the village Melambes, we meet the Byzantine church of Agia Paraskevi bearing frescoes of the 14th century, divided in two phases. The temple is built next to a spring with cool water and covered by a large plane tree; even we meet the custom that the temples next to water springs were dedicated to Saint Paraskevi, the saint patron of the eyes.

Holy Apostles monastery at Lassithi Plateau

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At this place operated during the Turkish Era a small male monastery dedicated to the Holy Apostles. When in 1823 Hasan Pasha attacked the Plateau from this side after having burnt Kritsa, his troops passed from here and destroyed the monastery.

Stavromenos monastery at Avgeniki

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On the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14) celebrates the Monastery of Stavromenos located just outside the village Avgeniki, province Malevyzi, next to the picturesque settlement Vlahiana. The deserted monastery is one of the many monasteries founded in Crete during the Venetian domination and reaching their heyday till the arrival of the Turks, after which the monastery was slowly deserted. Today we meet some remains of the monastery buildings (part of the walls of monk cells), a base of a limestone-carved winepress and a trough. Around the church we see many trees, vineyards and olive groves.

Church of Saint Onesimus at Metaxochori

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Here we meet the small church of St. Onesimus, the only one dedicated to St. Onesimus in Crete. Saint Onesimus was a slave of Phrygia who escaped from his master and went to Rome in order to meet the Apostle Paul. He is considered the patron saint of prisoners and judgers.

Church of Panagia at Evangelismos

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At the village Evengelismos, also known as Muhtari, we meet the Church of the Annunciation of Virgin Mary, after which the village takes its name (Evangelismos means Annunciation). An inscription from ancient Lyktos is embedded in the outer wall of the temple, while the interior bears a few but excellent frescoes of the 14th century.

Asceticism

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