Major Christian relics and spots:
1.The Cave of Apostle Paul in Kali Limenes.
This place is even mentioned in the Gospel. Paul was forced to stop here due to bad weather and spend some time.
2. The head of Apostle Titus, the first bishop of the island, appointed by Paul and to whom two epistles in the Gospel are dedicated. It is located in the Church of Titus (Heraklion).
3. The miraculous Cross, kept in the Monastery of Preveli. According to legend, the crystal of the cross contains particles of the Holy Cross where Jesus was crucified. These particles were obtained by monks directly from the hands of Helena, the mother of Emperor Constantine, who found the Cross in Jerusalem. The Preveli Cross itself was made during the Venetian period, as evidenced by the depiction of the Venetian lion on it.
4. The Praetorium and ruins of the Temple of Titus in Gortyn are the site where Titus, a disciple of Paul, preached.
5. Agiofaraggo (Sacred Gorge) is located near the Monastery of Odigitria. For quite long time, hermit monks hid here from the Muslims. They lived in caves, creating a kind of separate monastic settlement. The monks who survived the sack of the monasteries by the Turks came here. It’s a very beautiful and spiritual place.
6. The Kera Kardiotissa icon, located in the Kera Monastery. The original icon is in Italy, but this third copy was returned to Crete from Italy in the 1970s. Today, it is an important relic of the island. I would like to note that when leaving Crete, the Venetians took three galleons of Christian relics from the island, including the icon of the Virgin Mary of Kastriotissa, which the doges of Venice themselves came out to greet. This icon was never returned to the island.
The island has many local relics—icons, relics, and important sites—but I have named the most significant ones for Christians worldwide, not just local ones; otherwise, the list would be very long!
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