On the Roads of Orthodoxy (Mini-Group)

We offer several different routes around the island that include visits to the most important Orthodox churches in Crete. We will choose with you what is most convenient and suitable for you. The route through the central part of Crete is suitable for the region of Heraklion .

Twenty-one kilometers from the city of Heraklion is the mountain monastery of the 16th-century Savvatyanon, turned by the nuns into a Garden of Eden. On the territory of the monastery, behind the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin and the Forty Martyrs, there are two churches dedicated to Saints Anthony and Sava. Walking through the territory, you will see many plants collected from all over Crete. With you, we will get acquainted with the various crafts that the nuns are engaged in to maintain the life of the monastery.

Moving further inland, we will visit the church and cell of St. Myron, located in the village of the same name, which, according to legend, was saved by the saint during the Second World War. Then we will find ourselves in one of the oldest monasteries in Crete, as its name says. Paliani Monastery was founded in 688 and keeps a miraculous icon hidden in the branches of a myrtle tree.

Then we move to the monastery, which on a holiday gathers a large number of pilgrims not only from the island of Crete but also from all over Greece. The Monastery of Saint Marina is one of the most important places of worship for this holy Great Martyr and the only monastery dedicated to her in Crete. The extreme point of today's tour will be the monastery of St. John the Theologian, located 17 kilometers from Heraklion. It was destroyed twice but rebuilt again and retained the appearance of a fortress, which confirms the story of its difficult fate.

If you want to experience Western Crete, then we will visit the shrines in another part of the island.

A magnificent view of the sea opens from a magnificent observation deck 5 kilometers from the city of Rethymnon. We are in the monastery of St. Irene. They say that the temple has existed on this site since the beginning of the 13th century. It was repeatedly destroyed, fell into decay, and was rebuilt again. I suggest you move further to the west of the island. Not far from the city of Chania is the monastery of Chrysopigi, translated from Greek as "a golden spring," dedicated to the Mother of God. The monastery was founded in the 16th century by the physician and philosopher Ioannis Hartofilak, a prominent figure in the city of Chania. The monastery's fate is similar to that of many of Crete's sanctuaries, which were destroyed and rebuilt, which in no way diminishes their greatness.

Then we will visit the city of Chania itself and get acquainted with two temples. The Trimartiri Church is the cathedral church of the Cydonian and Apokoron dioceses of the Cretan Orthodox Church. The central part of the cathedral is dedicated to the Mother of God, the northern part is dedicated to St. Nicholas, and the southern part is dedicated to the Holy Trinity. Russian church on the outskirts of the city of Chania in the area of Halep. The church was built as the home church of King George, son of Queen Olga Konstantinovna, according to the project of St. Petersburg architects at the beginning of the 20th century. The temple is dedicated to the holy, equal-to-the-apostles Mary Magdalene.

The next stop offers a beautiful view, which created for us the landscape of the island. For today, this is our final walk, but not the least important shrine. Tzagarolon Monastery, or, as it is known to many, Holy Trinity Monastery. We are located on the peninsula of Akrotiri, 15 kilometers from Chania. The monastery got its name from the surname of the monk brothers of Venetian origin, who settled in Crete and were sent here to restore the temple at the beginning of the 16th century.