Holy Monastery of the Archangels (Pammegiston Taxiarchon) of Mantamados

The Holy Monastery of the Taxiarchs is one of the island’s most important pilgrimage sites. It is a Byzantine monastery that functioned as a men’s monastery, as mentioned in a 1661 document. Its 17th-century church was replaced by a larger one in the 18th century, which in turn was rebuilt in 1879 as the present three-aisled basilica. The monastic complex develops typically around the church, lending it a fortified character. According to legend, the monastery was raided by Saracen pirates who slaughtered the monks, except for a novice, Gabriel, who hid in the church’s roof. From there, after the massacre, he saw the Archangel’s form hovering over the monks’ bodies. Taking wax and earth soaked with their blood, he fashioned the image of the Taxiarch. The church celebrates on 8 November, the Synaxis of the Archangels, and on the Sunday of the Myrrhbearers.