greek hotels - Venerato It is 20 km away from Heraklion, and is the first large village you will come to. It is the usual resting-place for people travelling to the Messara valley. The village has nothing particular to show, but you must visit Paliani Monastery, one kilometre east of the village. It is one of the oldest monasteries in Crete, from the first Byzantine period. It is mentioned as Palea as early as 668 AD. It was initially subject to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, but in 1304, the Latinate archbishop of Crete seized the monastery, probably because it owned a large fortune. The Turks burnt the Monastery in 1821 and 1866, According to verbal tradition, the icon of Panagia ( natural Mary) Myrtidiotissa was found at the roots of a large myrtle tree ("myrtia" - hence the name), located at the southeastern end of the church. The tree is considered to be a thousand years old. On September 24th, there is a feast for the celebration of Myrtidiotissa, which you should not miss if you are in the area. Agia Myrtia (Holy Myrtle) is an amazing survival of the worship of a holy tree from Minoan times. It is believed that the icon of the natural Mary, visible only to children, is embodied in the treetrunk. Healing qualities are attributed to the myrtle leaves, which are used for decoctions and amulets. The nuns will encourage you too to cut a small branch off the tree to keep you safe, continuing an age-old tradition. As you leave, visit the Monastery's sales room, where the nuns sell embroidery and handcrafts.

Summer-Hotels > Heraklion > Venerato

It is 20 km away from Heraklion, and is the first large village you will come to. It is the usual resting-place for people travelling to the Messara valley. The village has nothing particular to show, but you must visit Paliani Monastery, one kilometre east of the village. It is one of the oldest monasteries in Crete, from the first Byzantine period. It is mentioned as Palea as early as 668 AD. It was initially subject to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, but in 1304, the Latinate archbishop of Crete seized the monastery, probably because it owned a large fortune. The Turks burnt the Monastery in 1821 and 1866,
According to verbal tradition, the icon of Panagia ( natural Mary) Myrtidiotissa was found at the roots of a large myrtle tree ("myrtia" - hence the name), located at the southeastern end of the church. The tree is considered to be a thousand years old. On September 24th, there is a feast for the celebration of Myrtidiotissa, which you should not miss if you are in the area. Agia Myrtia (Holy Myrtle) is an amazing survival of the worship of a holy tree from Minoan times. It is believed that the icon of the natural Mary, visible only to children, is embodied in the treetrunk. Healing qualities are attributed to the myrtle leaves, which are used for decoctions and amulets. The nuns will encourage you too to cut a small branch off the tree to keep you safe, continuing an age-old tradition. As you leave, visit the Monastery's sales room, where the nuns sell embroidery and handcrafts.