Holy Monastery of Krustallenia

Krustallenia Monastery is the religious centre of the Plateau of Lasithi and the meeting point for the residents when they want to discuss matters of general interest.

It is not known when the monastery was founded. Some sources trace the monastery back to the 13th century, so it might have been founded in the Second Byzantine period. Unfortunately, these testimonies are not confirmed by other sources.

According to other sources, upon the distribution of fields in Lasithi to Peloponnesian refugees in 1543, the sisters Theoklitis and Palantia Danasis who were among the beneficiaries, undertook to establish two monasteries in Lasithi: those of St Marina (Agia Marina) and of the Blessed Virgin (Panagia).

Both foreign and Greek officials have stayed in the monastery. High Commissioner Prince George stayed here in February 1903 and Eleftherios Venizelos a little later in the same year.

Information: Municipality Oropedio Lasithioy

Photo: Wikipedia