Heraklion Panagia Kaliviani

Location: Mires

The Monastery of Panagia Kaliviani is located in the mountainous region between the prefectures of Rethymno and Heraklion. Situated at a distance of 5 km from the village of Moires, the monastery was named after the nearby village of Kalivia.

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The monastery probably dates from the late 19th or early 20th century, as the exact date of its establishment is unknown. Tradition has it that the location where this monastery was built was the property of a Turk. However, when a Holy Icon of the Virgin Mary was found in this field, the Orthodox community asked for permission to construct a church there. Despite its initial refusal, the Turkish authorities eventually granted this request.

This small chapel can still be seen today in the yard of the Monastery. The construction of a new domed church began in 1911. It has three aisles and each one of them is dedicated to the Nativity, the Annunciation and the Dormition of the Virgin Mary respectively. Its architecture follows the Byzantine style, and the holy icon of the Virgin can be found inside the new chapel.

Today, the complex of the Monastery also runs an orphanage, a hospice, a housekeeping school for girls, summer camps, schools, workshops on weaving, knitting and vestment-making, as well as a variety of other charities.