| Kythira, CHURCHES |
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MYRTIDIOTISSA It is not known when exactly the icon was found. According to some sources, it was found in the middle of the 12th century.The chronicle, however, of the priest Daniel Varypatis states that the icon was found on the 24th of September, 1446. At the spot, where the icon was found the temple of Discovery was built. The monastery, in its present condition, was built on the site of the old temple in the middle of the 19th century. It includes the Catholic a three rowed basilica, the monks cells and the small temple of Agia Triada. The church features an impressive 26m bell tower, located at the northeastern part of the Catholic, a work of Kythirian Nikolaos Fatseas-Fouriaris (1888). The monastery is dedicated to the Dormition of Virgin Mary. During the celebration of the Virgin Mary - on August 15 - crowds of worshippers flock to the island to pay their respects to the miracle-working icon of Virgin Mary (Panagia) - which, according to tradition is the work of the evangelist Luke. The monastery celebrates the discovery of the icon on the 24th of September. Agia Moni Agia Moni is situated near Diakofti. It was built in the 18th century at the point where an icon was found on one side of which there was the image of Panagia (Virgin Mary) and on the other one the image of Saint George. It was renovated in 1840. Agia SofiaAt the bottom of a steep gorge, near the small village of Spilies, at the south end of the island, one finds the small temple of Agia Sofia. The temple has been built at the mouth of a cave, where there are ancient ruins. One can go there through the dirt road on the right coming from Kalamos going to ChalkosAgia Varvara of PaleochoraThe Byzantine church of Agia Barbara is situated near the destroyed town of Paleochora and it is believed it was built in the 13th century.Agia Elessa The monastery of Agia Elessa is situated near Livadi. It was built in
1871 on the ruins of an older church. Here, according to tradition, in
the 4th century, Agia Elessa martyred. The celebration takes place on
the 1st of August.Crucifix at ChoraThe temple of Crucified Christ at Chora was built around 1600 by the bishop of Kythira Filotheos Darmaros and is dedicated to the crucifixion of Christ. It is the metropolitan temple of the island. According to an old custom, the temple keeps the miraculous icon of Panagia Myrtidiotissa during LentAgios Andreas at LivadiThe Byzantine church of Saint Andrew at the village of Meadow is a crosslike building with a dome. The church itself is very old - 9th or 10th century - to which some additions were made. There are murals in the church dating from the 10th century.Saint George of the Mountain Saint George of the Mountain is situated at the eastern part of the
island, between Diakofti and Avlemon. Is it built on a mountaintop
offering an impressive view to the Pelponnese, the Aegean and Crete. At
this spot, the archaeologists discovered a temple of the Minoan era.
The temple was built after the 12th century, but it was built on a
mosaic floor featuring hunting scenes dated from the 7th century.Agios Dimitrios at PourkoNear the monastery of Agia Elessa, at the village of Pourko, the church of Agios Dimitrios is situated. It is actually a complex of four temples with a common indoors area. According to the founding stele, it was built in the 13th century and features beautiful murals. |
