The monastery of Panagia Kera is located in Agios Nikolaos, 50 kilometers southeast of Heraklion in the Dikti Mountains, greekcitytimes.com reports.
The history of the monastery, the legends, and the traditions concerning the miraculous icon of the Theotokos attract every year many believers and make the monastery one of the most important religious places of Crete. The age of the monastery dates back to the 12th Century, but it is not known exactly when and by whom it was founded.
It is located in a remarkable setting, high in the mountains, at an altitude of 630 meters overlooking a valley.
The church of Panagia Kera is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin.
The central aisle dedicated to Virgin Mary contains the oldest paintings while the north aisle is dedicated to Agios Antonios and has several pictures representing Judgment Day. Many miracles were associated with the icon of Panagia Kera. According to tradition, during the Byzantine period of Iconoclasm, the icon of Panagia was transferred to Constantinople but it found its way back to the monastery. During the Venetian domination, the icon was stolen by a Greek trader and a few years later it was moved to the temple of Saint Alfonso on Esquiline Hill, in Rome.
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