The ancient Byzantine church of Panagia Kera is located near the hilly town of Kritsa. This is one of Crete’s most prominent churches, situated in a spectacular location high in the Dikte Mountains, at an elevation of 630 meters, overlooking a valley. Panagia Kera is a church dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin, for which there is no credible founding date.
The earliest paintings are in the center aisle, which is devoted to Virgin Mary, while the north aisle, which is dedicated to Agios Antonios, includes numerous paintings depicting the Day of Judgment. The image of Panagia Kera was involved with many miracles. According to legend, the icon of Panagia was moved to Istanbul during the Byzantine period of iconoclasm, but it eventually returned to the monastery.
The image was taken by a Greek dealer in 1498, under the Venetian dominance, and was relocated to the temple of Saint Alfonso on Rome’s Esquiline Hill a few years later. The monastery was completely refurbished by the Managgaris family in 1722 and converted into a Holy Cross church. The icon that today graces the monastery is only a replica of the original, which was successfully painted in 1732 by an unknown artist and is said to possess the same miraculous properties.
The monastery’s building is Byzantine in style, with arrows and ceramic decorations. There are paintings from the 14th century and ancient icons within the church. The vibrant colors that show that the frescoes date back to the Paleologian Renaissance art painting are primarily highlighted by the well-preserved paintings of the holy figures.
