Cave Chapel of Saint Paraskevi at the site of “Tenediótis”

In the location of Tenediontis, on the northern foothills of Agios Minas hill among oaks, stands the chapel of Agia Paraskevi. This little church stands out for its unusual form, being carved into the natural rock, with only the east façade — where the entrance is — built in stone. From there one enters a rectangular chamber divided by a stone templon into the nave and sanctuary. On the left of the sanctuary, a niche serves as the Holy Table, while another in the north wall, with a drainage channel, functioned as a sacrarium. Lamps and small icons are found in the space, of no special artistic value. The use of caves for worship is common on islands, where sacred items and treasures were often protected during times of piracy. Its proximity to an open-air shrine strengthens the likelihood of early cultic use of the area, perhaps even funerary, proving the site’s enduring religious significance.