Not everyone who has been to Crete can tell about the convent of Kera Kardiotissa - the monastery of Our Lady of the Heart. It is not the central attraction of the island, and not all guides take tourist groups to this monastery. Nevertheless, it is interesting because it contains a copy of the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of the Heart. The copy is said to perform miracles of healing and wish fulfillment just like the original. We will talk about this icon and the convent, where people from all over the world try to get in this article.
Monastery in the mountains
Kera Kardiotissa Monastery is located 50 kilometers from the capital of the island of Crete, Heraklion, surrounded by the Diktea Mountains. It is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, like most Cretan monasteries. This is a very old monastery, which became famous thanks to the "wonder-working" icon. In the photo below, the monastery of Kera Kardiotissa on the mapCrete.
The exact date of the creation of the monastery is unknown, there are suggestions that it arose in the XIII century, that is, it is at least 800 years old. It kept a valuable icon of the Mother of God, which, according to legend, was painted by a monk-icon painter, according to some sources, in the 8th century, according to others - in the 9th century. It depicts the Mother of God with a baby in her arms. This icon is mentioned in the manuscripts of 1333.
Legend of the icon
According to legend, during the period of iconoclasm, the icon was transported to Constantinople, but miraculously it returned to the island of Crete in the monastery of Kera Kardiotissa. Emperor Theophilos learned about the miracles of this image and ordered to find and return the icon to Constantinople in order to destroy it with his own hands.
However, this wonderful icon "escaped" from her pursuers again and returned to her temple. When the icon was brought to Constantinople for the third time, Theophilos ordered it to be tied to a marble column, but it broke the shackles and disappeared. In the courtyard of the monastery of Kera Kardiotissa, tourists can see with their own eyes a piece of the column, the chains are kept inside the monastery. To believe or not to believe this legend, everyone decides for himself.
In the monastery of Panagia Kera-Kardiotissa there is a copy of the icon. A wonderful copy is also in the Metropolitan Church of Rethymnon.
How the icon got to Rome
In 1498, a Greek merchant stole the icon to take it to Rome. When theysailed half the way, a storm broke out on the sea, they risked drowning in the abyss of the storm. The merchant prayed for help to the Virgin Mary, and the merchants received it. The Virgin Mary helped them by stopping the storm. When they arrived in Rome, the merchant fell seriously ill and, before he died, gave the icon to an Italian friend to take to the church of St. Matthew in Rome. The church kept the icon for 300 years, and in 1799 it was transferred to the monastery of St. Eusebius. Until 1927, the icon was in this monastery. The icon is currently in the church of San Alfonso in Rome.
Most likely, it should have happened that the icon was taken to Italy. There is no doubt that it would simply have been destroyed, like many Orthodox relics during the period of Turkish rule in Crete.
Church of Panagia Kera
The monastery of Kera Kardiotissa in Crete was built in four stages. Its original form was that of a citadel. The katholikon of the monastery was originally a single-aisled church covered with an arch with a vaulted roof space. Then several parts were added to it: two narthexes and a small chapel.
The church was painted with frescoes, some of them have been preserved, which allows us to contemplate the painting of the walls of the monastery, dating back to the XIV century, in the northern part, frescoes of the XV century with characteristics of the Macedonian school of hagiography have been preserved. The church has a copy of the icon of the Virgin, painted in 1735. As the nuns assure, it is also considered miraculous.
Viewing these frescoes, manywonder how they survived, because there was a period of Turkish occupation and times of vandalism. And there is an explanation for this. The inhabitants hid them by applying a thick layer of lime. The walls of the monastery looked like plastered. More than once experienced the monastery dashing years. It was attacked by the Turks twice: in 1822 and 1842. Was the center of resistance in 1866 when Crete was in revolt.
Current life in the monastery
Now Kera Kardiotissa Monastery is a quiet place, lost among the mountains. In 2001, there were 45 women in the monastery. At present, only a few nuns and abbesses remain. The monastery is ready to accept up to 25 people and provide accommodation and food for a while. There is a museum on the territory of the monastery, where visitors can see church utensils and books.
The monastery has a minimum of excursions, mainly in the evening, after a lunch break, which lasts from 13:00 to 15:30. There are a lot of tour groups in the morning. True, the tour is short. You can explore the entire territory and look into the church shop in about thirty minutes. Entrance for adults is paid and is 2 euros. There are appearance requirements. Women should have their heads covered and clothes covering their knees. men should be headless. Modesty in dress is encouraged.
How to get to Kera Kardiotissa Monastery
Usually there is an excursion to the monastery, which is considered additional to the official tour program. If you wish, you can sign up and go on an excursion to the women'smonastery. If you get, for example, from Heraklion by car, you need to go along the E75 highway to the city of Agios Nikolaos, then turn off the road onto the road leading to the village of Kritsa, and from there there will be signs to the monastery.
If you get from the north coast, you need to focus on the direction to the city of Malia. From it there is a road to the Lassithi plateau. From Malia to the monastery up to 13 kilometers.