HISTORICAL AND PUBLICATIONS SPECIFITY OF KRITSA
9. BYZANTINE CHURCHES THE KRITSAS
2012 Δημήτριος Δημ.Σκουλικάρης Διπλωματούχος Μηχανολόγος Ηλεκτρολόγος Μηχανικός Τ.Τοπικός Σύμβουλος Κοινότητας Κρτσάς
9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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INTRODUCTION
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Panagia Kera (No. 12)
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St. John the Forerunner (No. 17)
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St. John Chrysostom (N. 33)
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Aphentis Christos (N. 34)
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St. George (at Harakitis) (No. 35)
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St. George Kavousotis (N. 25)
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St. John the Theologian (N. 24)
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The Holy Spirit (N. 22)
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St. Constantine (N. 13)
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Archangel Michael (Stampado Monastery) (N. 11)
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Panagia Hodegetria (N. 18)
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St. Constantine (Neighbourhood Plai) (N. 30)
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Panagia Varsamiotissa (N. 10)
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St. Barbara (N. 21)
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St. George Tragopiastis (N. 3)
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Catholic Church
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Catholic Church (at Kavousaki)
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The parishes of Kritsa
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Bibliography
9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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All churche s at the region of Kritas and Platea ot Katharo ( Total 49)
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BYZANTINE CHURCHES INTRODUCTION As is known, in Greece the Old (Julian) Calendar was replaced with the New (Gregorian) Calendar in 1924. During the time of Venetian rule, the Church still used the Old Calendar, e.g. it celebrated Christmas on 7 January (New Calendar). Under Venetian rule, the Cretans showed a revolutionary spirit, mainly incited by the irredentism of Byzantine landowners. Crete was the only region of Latin-occupied Greece to show openly its hostility to the Venetian-Papal occupation. The Cretan Church continued to consider the Byzantine emperors as the legitimate rulers of Crete. During the 14th-15th centuries, the Byzantine style prevails across the island. The founders’ inscriptions in churches mention the names of Byzantine emperors. The feudal system prevailing at the time gave a prominent position to the landed nobility. Cretan priests were replaced by Latin priests, and the clergy was headed by chief cantors and canons. They were paid their salaries by the state, to which they were obliged to pledge allegiance, and therefore they were dependent on it. After the dissolution of the Byzantine Empire in 1204 and the occupation of Crete by the Venetians, the Catholics expelled the Orthodox bishops, replacing them with Catholics. The Venetians saw the Orthodox Church as a threat to their rule on Crete, as the Orthodox population used to rally behind the Church. Orthodox bishops were replaced with Catholics, headed by an archbishop. However, the Cretans reacted stubbornly to the effort to impose Catholicism.
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In particular in the countryside, the Catholic clergy failed to impose their hold, and as a result they limited their efforts in urban areas. Characteristically, in around 1580, the Pope’s representatives estimated that, in a total of 200 thousand inhabitants, the Catholics numbered no more than 2 thousand. Seeing that her hold on Crete was threatened and that the priests maintained their affiliation to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Venice expelled the leaders of the Orthodox clergy, prohibited the ordination of Orthodox priests on the island and confiscated the ecclesiastical and monastic property. This effort pushed the Cretans even further to fully identify with the Greek populations of the Byzantine Empire. Religious affiliation forged the new national conscience of the Cretans. Wishing to preserve this heritage, Crete participated in Constantinople’s last stand. Relations between the Venetians and the Orthodox started to improve in the early 16th century, when Venice began to feel the Turkish threat. Despite the pressure they exerted on the inhabitants of the area, the Venetians managed to found just one Catholic church. Today stand the ruins of an old, stucco-painted church. There are murals only in the exterior, over the entrance, and it had a tiled roof. Today there are no tiles, it is locked and is used as a warehouse. It was a place of worship of the Catholics’ God. Why was it abandoned? Because the founder, who did not spread roots in this land, gave the church a south-north orientation. The locals, both orthodox and unorthodox, believe that God rises in the East and sets in the West. After the collapse of the Byzantine Empire, several Orthodox took refuge in European countries. The propertied Greeks that stayed behind became Christian timariots (landowners under the Turkish regime), and later many of them became Muslims.
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During Turkish rule, Orthodox and Latin churches were converted into mosques, warehouses, stables or baths. To prevent riots by lay and clergy, the Turks used to remove the churches’ bells at night time. That was the time when bells were removed from the churches of the Katharo plateau and Kritsa. The Turks exerted continuous pressure on the Christian population in order to convert them to Islam, using any method to break the people’s resolve and faith. By humiliating and pressuring the people, they managed to subjugate them. In despair, several Cretans converted to Islam. However, many Cretans lingered on as crypto-Christian Turks. A characteristic example was the rich and strong Kourmoulis family in Messara. A traveller that visited Crete at that time says that in the city of Candia (modern day Heraklion), some 60 thousand had converted to Islam because they could no longer stand the tyranny. Under Turkish rule, the Sultan’s subjects were divided according to religion into Muslims and zimis. The zimis were the people of the Book, considered inferior to Muslims under Muslim law. The zimis included Christians Orthodox, Catholics, Armenians and Jews. They lived in organised communities. They had to obey the Sultan and their leaders were responsible for ensuring this. The zimis paid taxes, most importantly the poll tax, and could not assume any offices. The application of these discriminations differed according to the circumstances of place, time and social position of a zimi, as well as his relationship with the Ottoman state. While disputes between zimis and Muslims were always resolved by Muslim religious courts, family disputes (marriages, divorces) among the Orthodox population were resolved by patriarchs and diocesan bishops according to Byzantine/Roman and ecclesiastical law. After the Greek War of Independence, the population started to regain confidence and show its willingness to return to Christian traditions. 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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At the time of the 1896-1897 revolution, only a quarter of the population were Muslim Turks. Later, when immigration started, they fell to 1/10 of the population, until the Cretan Turks (Muslims) evacuated the island after the population exchange of 1923. Ever since then, there have been no Muslims on Crete. Religious feeling was very strong in the Kritsa region. The mountainous location of the village, its difficult access and the people’s resolve kept the Ottomans at bay. Thus, the people of Kritsa managed to maintain the Christian creed. Under Ottoman rule, the Orthodox population considered the Orthodox Church as the most important institution. For cultural reasons, they believed that the Church should be supported and enjoy privileges. The Church maintained its religious responsibilities, remained selfadministered and had the authority to resolve certain legal disputes among the Orthodox. In this policy, the Ottomans were supported by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, whose enemies were Catholic Western Europe and the Pope in Rome. The Patriarchate and the Orthodox Church in general ensured that the Orthodox maintained their faith – under Muslim rule, however. The Orthodox Church tried to prevent conversions to Islam, but ensured the Christians’ loyalty to Ottoman rule. The preservation of religion is evident across the Kritsa region. This contributed to the construction of a considerable number of churches in the village and the adjacent settlements, which testify to the people’s allegiance to the Orthodox Church. Today there are three parishes: Hodegetria, St. Panteleimon and St. George (at Harakitis). The local festivals are those of Panagia Kera (21 November), St. Panteleimon (27 July), St. John the Theologian (26 September) and St. George (23 April). 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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Towards the end of Turkish rule, the large church of the Hodegetria started to be constructed; today it stands in an excellent condition. In Kritsa and the greater region, there are numerous Byzantine churches with rare wall paintings. “Today, the Church is called upon to play an important role, without remaining idle in the face of the social problems facing Greece and society in general. The Church, as a spiritual institution, should stand close to man and his problems. It should be dynamically active, without staying on the sidelines and evading issues that fall within its jurisdiction. We, on our part, try to play this role, for the good of the village and everyone”. Wise words by Leonidas Gialouris, vicar of the parish of the Hodegetria since 2001. Panagia Kera (No.12)
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The plain of Kritsa is dominated by the Byzantine church of Our Lady (Panagia Kera), a three-aisled domed basilica with murals of the 13th-14th centuries. The central aisle is dedicated to the Dormition of Virgin Mary, the southern aisle to St. Anne and the northern aisle to St. Anthony. The exterior reminds of monuments dating in the period of Venetian rule. The span roofs of the aisles and the simple, round dome in the middle of the central aisle are covered with tiles.
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Four small holes are the only openings in the crown of the dome, ensuring the ventilation of the church, and there are only two windows, on the western walls of the lateral aisles. They are horseshoe-shaped, with notched decoration. Of similar shape is the entrance of the church between them, on the western wall of the central aisle. The church is flanked by six triangular buttresses. The interior of the church is a square of 10 X 10.5 m. Its height up to the top of the dome is 4.5 m. The three aisles are topped with cylindrical arches, while the dome, which pierces the arch of the central aisle, is supported by four piers, which rest on four pendentives, which in turn are based on arcs. The walls separating the aisles are pierced by four arch-shaped openings of almost equal width and height. The pulpits of the aisles lie in front of the eastern piers, and their semi-circular arches, which have a small monolithic window, are covered by quadrants. The southern wall of the southern aisle is pierced by four arches, which have been walled; the fourth arch serves as the southern entrance of the church. The church passed through successive building phases and is decorated with important wall-paintings of exquisite art, dating to the 13th century and the Palaeologan Renaissance of the early 14th century.
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In the aisle dedicated to St. Anne, one can see: St. Anne on the apse of the sanctum, St. Peter of Alexandria, St. Gregory the Theologian, St. Athanasius, St. Eleftherius, the Annunciation of Joachim, the House of Joachim, the Meeting between Joachim and Anne, the Prayer of St. Anne, the Blessing of St. Anne by the Priests, the Nativity of Virgin Mary, the Caressing of Virgin Mary (unique on Crete), the Presentation of Virgin Mary to the Temple, Joseph’s Affliction over Virgin Mary’s Pregnancy, the Trip to Bethlehem, Virgin Mary as a Closed Gate (Ezekiel’s vision), St. John the Hermit, St. Alexius the Man of God, St. Garias, St. Samonas, the Seven Youths of Ephesus (Constantine, Iamblichus, Maximilian, Anthony, Exacustodianus, Martin, John and Justin), St. Theodoulus, St. Zoticus, St. Theophano, St. Romanus the Deacon, St. Leo, St. Barbara, St. Cyriace, St. Irene, St. Theodore Stratelates (the “General”) and Abba Zosimas giving Communion to St. Mary the Egyptian. The first addition to the church was the southern aisle, dedicated to St. Anne. The southern aisle dates to the 14th century and the wall-paintings, among the most important on Crete, date to the Palaeologan Renaissance and belong to the Macedonian School, which is related to Mystras. Figures are painted in clear lines, with broad contours. There are 14 rectangular panels arranged in two registers, depicting scenes from the lives of St. Anne and Virgin Mary, drawn from the apocrypha on the life of Virgin Mary, which are uncommon in Byzantine painting: The House of Joachim, the Prayer of St. Anne, the Nativity of Virgin Mary, the Trial by Water, Joseph’s Affliction and Virgin Mary as a Closed Gate. In the apse one can see St. Anne in the form of the Platytera. On the western wall is painted the inscription of the sponsor and founder, where we read: “Village of Kritsa … and Antonios Lameras”.
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In the northern aisle, dedicated to St. Anthony, one can see: Christ Pantocrator on the apse of the sanctum, St. John Chrysostom, the Last Judgment, Heaven, the Parable of the Ten Virgins, the Angel Sounding the Bugle of the Last Judgment, the Weighing of Souls, the Souls of the Evil and the Punishment of Sinners in Hell, the Sea Delivering the Dead, Choruses of Martyrs and Holy Women Entering Heaven, St. Symeon the Stylite, St. Macarius, St. Anthony, St. Eugene, St. Martyrius, St. Orestes, St. Anempodistus, the founders and their child in official costume of the time (northern wall), St. Polychronia (unique on Crete), St. George of Cosiba, St. Theodosius the Coenobiarch and a female saint in monastic habit (probably St. Paraskevi), who has been realistically rendered and reminds of modern women of Akritsa. For many centuries, Panagia Kera has been a local cult centre, a holy monastery and a resting place of the dead. Today it is supervised by the Inspectorate of Byzantine Antiquities and attracts many thousands of visitors every year, who study and admire its architecture and wall-paintings.
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In the central aisle, dedicated to the Mother of God, one can see: On the apse of the sanctum, underneath the Virgin Platytera, the hierarchs St. Nicholas, St. John Chrysostom, St. Basil, St. Gregory the Theologian, the Annunciation of Virgin Mary, St. Stephen the Deacon, St. Romanus Melodus the Deacon, the Ascension, Kings David and Solomon, SS Titus and Andrew, SS Eleftherius and Polycarpus, the Massacre of the Innocents, the Nativity of Christ, the Last Supper (considered as the finest mural of this aisle), the Presentation of Virgin Mary to the Temple, Heaven, the Descent to Hell (Resurrection), Herod’s Banquet, St. Anne with Virgin Mary as a child, St. Andrew of Crete, St. George, the Crucifixion, the Punishment of Sinners in Hell, St. Demetrius, SS Constantine and Helen, the 12 Major Prophets. On the drum of the dome, one can see the Reception of Christ by St Symeon (Hypapante), the Baptism of Christ, the Raising of Lazarus, the Entry of Christ into Jerusalem; between the ribs of the dome, the four Archangels, Gabriel, Michael, Raphael and Uriel, and the Four Evangelists; on the four arches over the piers, SS Panteleimon and Hermolaus, SS Julitta and Cyrecus, St. Mercurius, St. Nicetas, SS Sergius and Bacchus; over the south-eastern pier, Virgin Mary and Christ (Deisis), on the south-western wall St. Peter and on the north-western wall the Catholic St. Francis of Assisi, an indication of the esteem that this saint enjoyed on Venetian-occupied Crete. On the lower register of the northern wall are depicted the founders of the aisle, a couple with their child. The founders’ inscription, published by Kalokyris, reads as follows: “This most venerable church of St. Anne, mother of Virgin 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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Mary, was renovated and painted with murals at the expense of the village of Kritsa and with the sponsorship of Antonios Lameras and Eugene Sinouletos”. There is also another inscription in the northern aisle: “This church of our holy father St. Anthony was renovated at the expense of Georgios Mazizanis, his wife and children. Amen”. The shape of the letters, the themes and style of the murals allow us to date the construction to the 14th century. In an essay published in 1952, Professor Anastasios Orlandos wrote about Panagia Kera: “The wall-paintings of this holy church, which was erected around the 11th or 12th century, include some scenes rarely found in Greece; in particular that of Virgin Mary with an adolescent Jesus on her side is unique in Greece. The 14th additions were supported by buttresses, which give the church its characteristic appearance. The murals of the central aisle (mid13th century) are more conservative, severe and solemn, while the southern aisle, dating to the 14th century, has some of the most important wall-paintings of the Palaeologan Renaissance on Crete”. St. John the Forerunner (No. 17) GPS: ( 35.157082 , 25.647326 )
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At the entry of the village, inside the old cemetery, lies the funerary church of St. John the Forerunner. The church was constructed during the time of Venetian rule. Its beautiful wall-paintings, dating to 1353-1354 according to an inscription, were covered with plaster until recently; by now most of them have been uncovered. In the impressive painting of Hell, one can see Angels pushing the Devil, who is riding on the Dragon of the Deep, into the bottom of the Lake of Fire. The damned stand in three rows, headed by two popes, followed by Franciscan monks, heretic bishops and emperors; at the top, a naked man seems to repent belatedly. Some of the paintings are of high artistic quality (St. Anthony, the Annunciation, St. Onuphrius). On the western wall, the scenes from Hell are the most impressive painting. On the part of the northern wall that is covered with murals, a window had once been opened. The area around the church was initially used as a burial ground for people who distinguished themselves in revolutions. Later it became the cemetery of the village, after the villagers stopped burying their dead around the church of each neighbourhood of the village.
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The oldest datings of the churches of Kritsa are given in the founders’ inscriptions. For St. John the Forerunner, the given date is 6823 from the creation of the world, i.e. 1354 A.D. The wall-paintings date in 1370. Its best wall-paintings match or surpass in quality those of Panagia Kera.
Manolis Borboudakis, Inspector of Byzantine Antiquities, gave us his own interpretation about the church: according to the founder’s inscription, the murals of the funerary church of St. John were painted in 1370 with the assistance of Ioannis Skordilis. Their style is realistic and they were created by some folk painter As is the case in all arch-covered churches without a dome, Christ Pantocrator is painted on the apse; however, in the church of St. John the Forerunner, Christ stands between Virgin Mary and St. John the Forerunner, who are praying (Deisis or Three-Figured Composition). The interesting scene of the hospitality offered by Abraham to three angels, which symbolises the Holy Trinity, is painted on the eastern wall, with the Annunciation of Virgin Mary lower, while the apse of the sanctum is decorated with hierarchs who celebrate Mass, flanked by deacons Stephen and Romanus. From the evangelic cycle, the paintings uncovered so far include the Nativity of Christ on the arch, the Pentecost on the northern side and the Crucifixion and the Lamentation on the southern side.
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The interesting figure of St. Onuphrius, with a waistband of leaves, a beard reaching his legs, and his hands crossed before his chest, stands out among the full-length saints painted on the lateral walls. At the base of the arch, one can see the Annunciation of Zacharias, the Nativity of St. John the Forerunner, the Massacre of the Innocents and the patron saint of the church preaching to the people. The scenes from Hell are very imaginative. The painter probably wanted to admonish the faithful by depicting a large variety of punishments of the worst sinners for the most dangerous passions. St. John Chrysostom (N. 33)
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At the centre of the village, in the neighbourhood named Christos, lies the church of St. John Chrysostom. It is one of the oldest parish churches of Kritsa. An inscription on marble gives the date 1570 for the construction of the church; a later date, 1835, should refer to the renovation of the church. In the courtyard there are graves dating to the period of Turkish rule. The church also has remarkable ecclesiastical vessels. St. John Chrystostom, also known as St. John of Antioch, was born between 344 and 354 A.D. (according to recent historical research, most probably in 349 A.D.) in Antioch, Syria. His parents were general Secundus and Anthousa. He was a major Christian bishop and preacher in the 4th and 5th centuries in Antioch and Constantinople and one of the most popular prelates. Exhausted by hardships, the excesses of ascetic life and ailments, he died on 14 September 407 A.D. in Komana on the Black Sea. Aphentis Christos (N. 34)
The church lies within the neighbourhood that bears the same name (Christos). Nearby this neighbourhood stand the houses of Rodanthi, Alexomanolis and Kapetan Giannis Tavlas. In 1853, the neighbourhood had 700 inhabitants. Due to its panoramic view, it has been called the acropolis of Kritsa. The church of Aphentis Christos (Lord Jesus Christ) has wall-paintings on the western part of the southern aisle: Virgin Mary enthroned with Christ and the Apostles, two saints on horseback (George and Demetrius), one female saint 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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and scenes from Hell. On the western wall, there is the full-length oversized figure of a youth, probably the founder. The given renovation date is 1614-1615, when changes were made to the building plan of the church. In the courtyard there were graves, among them two arched tombs that were destroyed when the exterior was re-arranged. The church obviously passed through three building phases (the original construction, the 1614 renovation, probably by the Catholics for cult reasons, and a later one, when it functioned as a parish church). The cult icon of the Transfiguration and certain other wood-carved artefacts are expected to return to the church after their conservation is completed. This domed, two-aisled church should be dated to c. 1300. Its wall-paintings resemble those of the church of St. George Kavousotis. Archaeologist Bissinger dates the wall-paintings to c. 1310. The building phases of the church cannot be determined with accuracy. Its earliest morphological characteristics point to the early 13th century. In the 14th century additions were made, followed by renovation in the 16th century. According to an inscription on stone (no longer extant), the church was renovated in 1614 by Georgios Mazizanis and Georgios Kontogiannis. St. George (at Harakitis) (No. 35)
In Christos neighbourhood lies the later church of St. George at Harakitis, built on a rock that affords a panoramic view of the village and the valley. It is a majestic church that impresses with its volume and broad spaces. Its construction was begun in the 1950s by a group of youths from Kritsa. This 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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shows that a lot can be achieved if the local community participates, and serves as an example to the youth, who ought to continue the tradition. The foundation ceremony was held on 6 April 1955, with the participation of priests Konstantinos Koutantos (vicar), Konstantinos Pangalos and Ioannis Tavlas, and ecclesiastical councillors Ioannis M. Pangalos, Emmanuel M. Karydis and Emmanuel Trantas. The icons of the old church of St. George (around 30) were transported to the adjacent church of Aphentis Chistos, wherefrom they were removed three years ago for conservation. After its completion, the parishioners expect that they will return to the domed, three-aisled church of St. George. At the site of the church lay an old chapel, which was demolished 14 years after the foundation of the new church, in 1969, by the then vicar, Emmanuel Paraskakis. Konstantinos Pangalos was succeeded as vicar by Ioannis Trantas, at the time of construction of the dome and plastering. The construction was sponsored by fundraising. The church was inaugurated on 8 October 1978 by Metropolitan Demetrius. Due to its position, it is the most imposing church in Kritsa and attracts many visitors.
The three aisles are dedicated to St. Titus, St. George and SS Peter and Paul. St. George, known as the Trophy-Bearer in the Orthodox Church, is one of its most prominent saints. His festival day is the 23rd of April, but the Churches that use the Julian Calendar transpose it to Easter Monday if the saint’s festival day falls before Easter. 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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St. George is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, the Anglican Church, the Orthodox Church and certain protestant confessions that worship saints. He was born between 280 and 285 A.D., during the reign of Diocletianus, probably in Armenia. His father was Gerontios, a Greek senator and general. The saint was martyred in prayer (beheaded) on Friday 23 April 303 A.D. St. George Kavousotis (N. 25) GPS: ( 35.156158 , 25.643312 )
It lies at the exit of the village, close to the church of St. John the Theologian, on the tarmac road to Kroustas, in Kavousi neighbourhood. The church took its name from the adjacent fountain (kavousi), which lies to the right of the bridge, under the plain trees. St. George Kavousotis is a small arch-covered church of the 13th-14th century. It has noteworthy wall-paintings: Christ Pantocrator, frontal, with a severe expression, the hierarchs St. Nicholas, St. John Chrystostom, St. Basil and St. Gregory the Theologian, the Annunciation, the Ascension, Kings David and Solomon, the Nativity, the Hypapante, the Raising of Lazarus, the Descent to Hell and scenes from the life of St. George. The church was decorated by two different artists in the 13th-14th centuries. One of them produced paintings of a high artistic quality. This important religious monument has suffered serious damage by moisture and cracks. At the exterior, to the left of the entrance, is embedded the tile-covered tomb of Papa-Pothos. 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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Follows a description of the church of St. George Kavousotis by Manolis Borboudakis, Inspector of Byzantine Antiquities: “In the small arch-covered, one-aisled church of St. George Kavousotis, the wall-paintings were created by two artists with different styles. The arrangement of the scenes follows the established practice for Cretan oneaisled churches. The severe Pantocrator, the hierarchs celebrating Mass with two deacons, and the Holy Mandilion [face of Christ] between the two figures of the scene of the Annunciation of Virgin Mary decorate the apse and the eastern wall of the sanctum, while the arch is covered with the crowded composition of the Ascension, bordered on the west, as in the central aisle of Panagia Kera, by the full-length figures of prophets David and Solomon. Fulllength figures of hierarchs and saints, in strictly frontal posture, decorate the lateral walls of the sanctum, and busts of male and female saints in medallions are arranged in registers below. This stylistically integrated ensemble, including the prophets on the buttress and Virgin Mary on the northern anta, has been executed in a monumental style recalling that of the central aisle of Panagia Kera. However, the broader surfaces, fine gradations and green shades make the figures more lively. These wall-paintings should be dated to the turn of the 13th to 14th century. The second painter, who created the evangelical scenes of the Nativity, the Hypapante, the Raising of Lazarus and the Resurrection on the western part of the arch and the life of St. George lower (continued on the western wall), has a more realistic style. The archangel that stands sentinel by the entrance impresses with his lively posture, just like St. George on horseback on the southern wall. The rendering of space, the movement and counter-movement of figures and groups, as well as the voluminous bodies are connected with the renovating trends in Cretan art in the early 14th century; however, the coarseness of figures, the broad lighted surfaces, the fine gradations of light colours and the abbreviated execution of scenes and figures betray a folk painter”.
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St. John the Theologian (N. 24)
On the road to Kroustas, in the Theologos quarter of Kritsa, 1.5 km from the village, lies the monastic church of St. John the Theologian, with some extant relics of wall-paintings. The historic monastery used to run a clandestine school during Turkish rule, was a refuge of revolutionaries and provided moral and material support to the liberation wars. St. John is a miraculous saint and the locals venerate and honour him particularly. The monastery used to have a huge landed property, which was distributed by the abbot’s council to the refugees from Asia Minor that settled after 1922, following the population exchange. The church of St. John is a three-aisled basilica. The central aisle is dedicated to St. John the Theologian, the left aisle to St. Charalambos and the right aisle to the Transfiguration of Christ. This Byzantine monument has the bestpreserved wall-paintings and icons in Kritsa, dating between the 14th and 15th centuries, in the period of Venetian rule. Both the themes and the style of the murals are interesting. In the population census of 1881, it is mentioned as “St. John the Theologian” (Agios Ioannis Theologos), it has 8 inhabitants (1 monk and 7 laypeople) and belongs to the Municipality of Kritsa. In the 1900 census, it is recorded as “Monastery of St. John the Theologian” (Moni Theologou), in the same municipality, with 3 male inhabitants. It is absent from the 1920 census. 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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In the 1928 census, it is recorded as a simple settlement (St. John the Theologian) of the Community of Kritsa, with 22 inhabitants. It is absent from the next four census until 1981, when it is recorded again as “St. John the Theologian” (Theologos) in the Community of Kritsa, with 29 inhabitants.
In the 1991 census, it belongs to the same community and has 23 inhabitants. It is a small monastery, one of the oldest in the region, since there is documentary evidence of its existence since 1219. For some time, it was a dependency of Toplou Monastery at Sitia. Like all the monasteries in the Merabello province, the Monastery of St. John the Theologian harboured revolutionaries in the period of Turkish rule (in particular 1669-1830). Today it does not function as a monastery. It is claimed that the Monastery of St. John the Theologian already existed during the second Byzantine period (961-1204) because of its exquisite cross, today kept in the Historical Museum of Crete. In the period of Venetian rule, this cross was famous for the miracles it worked. The church is surrounded by monastic cells, which were given to refugees from Asia Minor after the population exchange in 1925. The monastery’s estates (Bousdoglou, Kargatzis, Kyratzis) were likewise distributed to refugees. During its heyday, it is reported that the monastery owned a large number of clay beehives and thousands of cattle. During the last phase of its operation, one of the monks practised icon-painting. The monastery consisted of a three-aisled church (the aisles were dedicated to 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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St. John, St. Charalambos and the Transfiguration) and many buildings, including an olive-press. It had large olive groves (in 17 locations), as well as vast pasturelands, numerous flocks and many beehives. At the northern entrance of the church there is an inscription dated 1215, but it is not certain what this date refers to (construction or renovation). The third aisle has a founder’s inscription dated 1348, therefore it is probable that works were carried out during the time of Venetian rule. Local shepherds used to resolve their disputes peacefully by swearing before the icon of St. Mamas at the Monastery of St. John the Theologian. The historic Monastery of St. John the Theologian was dissolved in 1905.
According to historian Nikolaos Papadakis (in his Churches of Crete), “The monastery was founded in the 10th century. This is proved by the 1219 treaty between the Venetians and the revolutionaries, which mentions the Monastery of St. John the Theologian at Kritsa”. Chrysa A. Maltezou (Crete: History and culture, 1998, Association of Local Unions of Municipalities and Communities of Crete) says: “In 1219, Venetian Pietro Filocaveno stole the horses of a Byzantine nobleman, Ioannis Skordilis Skantzeas, at Biniparo (Monopari), Rethymno. The Skordilis family appealed to the Duke of Candia, who turned a blind eye. Then they raised a rebellion against the Venetians, which quickly spread across western Crete. In the same year a treaty was signed, whereby the Skordilis and Melissinos families gained cash and land. Military obligations were imposed on the Cretans too, the villeins were allowed to marry freely, give dowries to their daughters, become monks or priests, donate their estate to monasteries and appeal to the Duke when 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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wronged by the Venetians, and a general amnesty was granted. The Venetians adopted a more conciliatory attitude on Crete. Just eight years after the conquest of Crete, they had to jettison their original plans. The local nobility became integrated into the Venetian regime, maintaining privileges and economic power”. The oldness of the monastery can be inferred from its possession of a Byzantine-style silver cross with sacred scenes in relief, which was famous for its miracles during the time of Venetian rule. During Turkish rule, the Monastery of St. John the Theologian, due to its mountainous, isolated and naturally fortified position (the Kritsa-Kroustas road had not been opened yet), played a very important role, in particular during the numerous Cretan revolutions. The rich and impregnable monastery harboured the hainides (outlaws) who lived on the surrounding mountains and terrorised the rich Turks in the valleys. Erstwhile prefect A. Hatzigakis describes the Monastery of St. John the Theologian as follows: “On the sloppy hillside of the picturesque village of Kritsa, among olive groves, holly and almond trees, lies a chapel dedicated to St. John the Theologian. Below, almost across of it, amidst lush vegetation one can see Panagia Kera, a three-aisled domed basilica, decorated with fine murals. Concerning the church of St. John the Theologian, there is a tradition that a Turk who shot the saint’s icon in the eye was blinded by his own bullet, which ricocheted. According to another tradition, a man who had stolen a beehive that belonged to the monastery was found frozen on the fence by the abbot, who prayed for his release. About Panagia Kera, it is said that it used to be a monastery that was deserted after the Turks slaughtered the monks”. The church of St. John the Theologian, with its fine old icons and wallpaintings, is considered as one of the most miraculous in the region and is venerated with particular devotion by the inhabitants of Kritsa.
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In his description of the monastery, teacher G.I. Perakis says: “The Monastery of St. John the Theologian was the spiritual centre of the region during the dark age of Turkish rule. Throughout the long, turbulent years of Cretan revolutions, the revolutionaries often took refuge in this monastery”. The festival day of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian is the 26th of September. The Holy Spirit (N. 22)
It is one of the churches of Kritsa that have passed through various building phases. First was erected the northern aisle, which has Byzantine wall-paintings (among them Virgin Mary Breastfeeding Christ – Galaktotrophousa). The vertical, western aisle (north-south direction) must have been built during Venetian rule, and the southern aisle was constructed in 1908. On the south-eastern corner, at the exterior of this aisle, one can see embedded a funerary early Christian inscription, which means that, if it had been found in
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situ, this church was built on the site of an early Christian basilica. The church has a marble capital. One aisle is dedicated to St. Nicephoros of Kritsa, whose festival day is the 11th of January. The church of the Holy Spirit has fine murals of a folk style in the northern aisle, probably dating in the 15th century: Christ on the apse of the sanctum, two hierarchs and the Lamb, the Annunciation and two Deacons, the Ascension, the Nativity, the Hypapante, the Transfiguration, the Baptism of Christ, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion, the Women on the Sepulchre. The term “Holy Spirit” signifies either divine power in action or the third person of the Holy Trinity. St. Constantine (N. 13)
The church of St. Constantine lies 500 metres north of Panagia Kera. It has a small, arch-covered nave with few wall-paintings, such as the Hospitality of Abraham, hierarchs on the apse of the sanctum, the Annunciation, the Ascension, the Baptism of Christ, the Crucifixion and the Descent to Hell. The murals are elegant and an inscription dates them to the year 6863 from the creation of the word, i.e. 1354-1355. The interesting wall-paintings of the church have suffered damage over time.
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Archangel Michael (Stampado Monastery) (N. 11)
It has been built in two phases: the older aisle, covered with murals, differs from the more recent aisle, which has a smaller apse in the sanctum and has clay vessels inside the walls, to improve the church’s acoustics. The northern aisle is dedicated to All Hallows and the southern aisle to St. John the Theologian. Archangel Michael (Stampado Monastery) has some extant relics of wallpaintings. Panagia Hodegetria (N. 18)
The date 1852 inscribed on the lintel of the main entrance probably refers to the foundation of the church, since the earliest photograph of Kritsa, taken by Italian photographer Giuseppe Berinda (1865-1867), shows the church halffinished. The Cathedral of Panagia Hodegetria (Our Lady the Leader) dominates the parish under the same name and was founded on 30 September 1853. The large church of the Hodegetria started to be built towards the end of Turkish rule. It is preserved excellently today. The capitals of the two large 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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columns that support the dome of the church were transported from ancient Istron (today Kalo Chorio). The rock fence surrounding the church shows that it was built by permission of the Turks, like the old school. The church hosts the icon of the Virgin Galaktotrophousa, transported from the church of the Holy Apostles at Koutsounara. It is said that the builders of the church were islanders. Before 1980, the interior of the domes was painted blue and decorated with stars, symbolising heaven. During the last renovation, the loft was demolished. It is a later post-Byzantine monument of that period. The church is a two-aisled basilica with domes and in the interior there are three columns with capitals from an ancient temple of Aphrodite.
The church is the cathedral of Kritsa and the southern and northern aisles are dedicated to the Presentation of Virgin Mary to the Temple (21 November) and St. Charalambos (10 February), respectively. In 2001, the church was radically renovated in both the interior and the exterior by the ecclesiastical council, composed of priest Leonidas Gialouris, Zacharias Vardas, Emmanuel Afordakos and Stavros Simaiakis, under the supervision and guidance of Metropolitan of Petra Nektarios. The renovation works started on 1 March 2001 and were completed in October the same year. 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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The works included demolition of the loft, cleaning of the columns and coatings, removal of the old electrical installation, replacement of the old floor, removal and replacement of the old coatings, conservation and repair of the ceiling of the church. The renovation cost was 60 million drachmas and was covered by donations of the inhabitants and fundraising. The church can be visited in weekends. The parish of the Hodegetria is an example of a bustling parish that functions to the benefit of the population of the village and serves the flock’s everyday needs. We live in difficult and demanding times. Today, the Church is called upon to play an important role, without remaining idle in the face of the social problems facing Greece and society in general. The Church, as a spiritual institution, should always stand close to man and his problems. It should be dynamically active, without staying on the sidelines and evading issues that fall within its jurisdiction. The priests of Kritsa try to play this role, for the good of the village and everyone.
Priests that officiated at the cathedral: Emmanuel Pothos until 1904 Hatzis Ioannis Pangalos from 1904 to 1924 Zacharias Tavlas from 1924 to 1935 Konstantinos Koutantos from 1935 to 1963 Konstantinos Pangalos from 1963 to 1983 Ioannis Tavlas from 1983 to 2001 Leonidas Gialouris from 2001 to date. 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsa Crete
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Churches and chapels that belong to the parish of the Hodigitria: 1. St. George at Platanias 2. Holy Spirit (two-aisled church of Venetian style) 3. St. Barbara (next to the schools) 4. St. Photini 5. St. Anthony (at Palaimylos) 6. St. John the Forerunner, cemetery temple dating in 1314 7. Panagia Kera (three-aisled Byzantine church with wall-paintings of the 12th century). The central aisle is dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin (15 August), the northern aisle to St. Anne and the southern isle to St. Anthony. Mass is celebrated twice a year, on 15 August and Easter Friday, festival of Our Lady the Life-Giving Fountain (Zoodochos Pigi). The chapels Panagia at Flermo, dedicated to the Nativity of Virgin Mary. It lies in the valley of Kritsa and its festival day is the 8th of September. St. Paraskevi at Psimoudia. Its festival day is the 26th of July. The Holy Apostles at Apostoliana. Its festival day is the 29th of June. St. John the Theologian. It lies midway between Akritsa and Kroustas and its festival day is the 26th of September. This monastery is a dependency of the Monastery of St. John the Theologian on Patmos. True Cross at the Katharo plateau. It lies in the western part of the plateau, on the border between Kritsa and Lasithi. Its festival day is the 14th of September. Transfiguration of Christ. It lies at Mesa Ori, eastern part of the Katharo plateau, on the border between Kritsa, Kroustas and Malles. Its festival is the 6th of August. For conservation and security reasons, all the old icons of the chapels have been gathered in the church of the Hodegetria, which has become a Byzantine museum for the visitors of the village. Information:
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HOLY CHURCH OF PANAGIA HODEGETRIA 720151, KRITSA, LASITHI, CRETE PRIEST LEONIDAS GIALOURIS TEL: 28410-51643, MOBILE: 6973-508864
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St. Constantine (Neighbourhood Plai) (N. 30)
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As it is evident from its architecture, the church was built between the 18th and the 19th century, or perhaps even earlier. It used to be a parish church. The fine icon of Our Lady kept in this church is noteworthy. Panagia Varsamiotissa (N. 10)
On the slope under Tzanes’s place lies a church dedicated to the Dormition of Virgin Mary, with a breathtaking view of the plain of Kritsa. The church is surrounded by old buildings, perhaps cells; in the west, nearby the stream, there are old gardens and a well. Today’s building has passed through successive phases. It seems that the first aisle to be built was the southern one. Alterations and additions were made during Venetian rule, when the western aisle was erected, facing north-south. There are elements such as the old belfry, the windows’ shutters, the adjacent cross etc. that help experts date the church with precision. When the roof was replaced, it was found that it had been covered with different types of tiles. If a pilgrim visits the church on its festival day (15th of August), he will always treasure the atmosphere of devotion and awe inspired by the large-eyed figure of the icon of Our Lady Varsamiotissa.
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St. Barbara (N. 21)
It is strategically located next to the old church (19th century) and one of the medieval buildings of Kritsa at the neighbourhood Botsano. Today it is surrounded by the day nursery, the kindergarten (old school), the primary school and the high school. Although no construction date is given, it was probably built in the 18th-19th century. St. Barbara, known as Megalomartys (Major Martyr), was a Christian saint and martyr who lived in the 3rd century A.D. \
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St. George Tragopiastis (N. 3)
About 500 m. south of Almyros, Agios Nikolaos, on an imposing hill lies the old chapel of St. George Tragopiastis (Goat-Healer). Well-concealed from pirates, this picturesque chapel lies very close to the settlement of Ammoudara and to Almyros, once more beautiful than today. According to legend, the church took its name from a miracle worked by St. George: a local shepherd prayed to St. George to save his goats that were dying of some illness, and the saint duly obliged. Next to the church there is a large threshing floor made of stone and a large stone-cut watering-place. After the end of Mass, the local shepherds used to place on the threshing floor cheese, almonds and raki, which they offered to the people who had participated in Mass.
“The original splendour of the church is shown by a mural that survives. The ruins of the old olive-press with the huge pool where the olive pulp was 9.Byzantine Churches of Kritsas Crete
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collected, and the ruins of the arch-covered building show the oldness of the austere monument, which fits so perfectly into its rocky surroundings. The old path takes you to a place where you can worship God in an untouched natural setting. The large volumes of the stones rest so lightly on the serene landscape; equally light is the ground that covers the plain grave to the east of the sanctum, decorated by thyme and sage. Its position is marked by small stones that resemble daisies on a Mayday wreath”, says teacher G.I. Perakis. There are some publications about the church of St. George Tragopiastis that provide further information on local folklore, such as that of Manolis Giapitzakis in the newspaper Anatoli on 3 and 4 May 1997 concerning the saint’s miracles. Catholic Church In the plain of Kritsa (at Chani) lies an abandoned church. Because the sanctum is located in the north, instead of east, it is considered a Catholic church, i.e. it is dated to the period of Venetian rule, when the conquerors tried to convert the Orthodox population to Catholicism. We do not know who the patron saint of the church was. It seems that the church was built in two phases. To the left of the church one can see the foundations of another building that has not survived. The building style is interesting, as it includes fine red bricks, resembling those used in the Byzantine churches of Thessaloniki. Over the main entrance there is multi-coloured decoration, but no traces of murals have survived inside the building (if they ever existed). After the dissolution of the Byzantine Empire in 1204 and the occupation of Crete by the Venetians, the Catholics expelled the Orthodox clergy and replaced them with Catholic priests. Relations between the Venetians and the Orthodox started to improve in the early 16th century, when Venice began to feel the Turkish threat. When the Turks occupied Crete, the Cretans were somewhat relieved, as the conquerors allowed a degree of religious freedom.
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Characteristically, the Greeks used to say: “Better to live under the rule of the infidels (the Muslims) than the heretics (the Catholics)”. While the Venetians failed to convert the Cretans, changes were observed during the period of Turkish rule. Several Cretans (including entire village populations), in an effort to pay lower taxes and enjoy the Muslims’ privileges, converted to Islam, although most of them had no idea of the Koran. In the final phase of Turkish rule, genuine Turks were very few, since most of the Muslims were converted Greeks (Leonidas Klontzas, Anatoli, 16 April 2009). Catholic Church (at Kavousaki) An old, stucco-painted church, which originally had a tiled roof and wallpaintings. Today there are no tiles, it is locked and is used as a warehouse. It was a place of worship of the Catholics’ God. Why was it abandoned? Because the founder, who did not spread roots in this land, gave the church a south-north orientation. The locals, both orthodox and unorthodox, believe that God rises in the East and sets in the West. The parishes of Kritsa A. Hodegetria B. St. George at Harakitis C. St. Panteleimon Bibliography Professor Emmanuel Tavlas, Memories – Documents, Tourist Development Commission. Emmanuel Mavroudis, Memories, in Dreros Journal, April 1940 issue, p. 937. Ενθυμίσεις – Έγγραφα. Ταβλά Εμμανουήλ, καθηγητή. Έκδοση της Επιτροπής Τουριστικής Ανάπτυξης. Ενθυμήματα. Άρθρο του Μαυροειδή Εμμανουήλ στο περιοδικό Δρήρος, τεύχος Απριλίου 1940, σελ. 937. Από το ημερολόγιο 2005 του πολιτιστικού Συλλόγου Κριτσάς Μιχ. Γεροντής Καθηγητής Ιστορικός " ΙΣΤΡΩΝΑ" Αρ.Φύλλου 21-Νοέμβριος Δεκέμβριος 1995 Γ.Ι Περράκη ,Διδάσκαλο ,Ραντολόγια τόμος Γ σελίς 54). Διήγηση Ηλίας Τζώρτζης) Ο Ιερός κλήρος της Εκκλησίας της Κρήτης στην Επανάσταση του 1821. Ευαγ.Παχυγιαννάκη Βυζαντινή Κρήτη
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