Saint Irini, Lachania

The church of Saint Irini (16th century) is found in the picturesque small village of Lachania, on the southeast of the island. It is built within the cemetery and is located at a distance of approximately 73 kilometres from the center of the city of Rhodes. It celebrates on May 5 and is the Patron Saint of the village. It is a small church that was built on the ruins of an early Christian Basilica, and architecturally it belongs to the "Dodecanesian type". According to the founding inscription, it was renovated in 1760. In recent years, efforts have been made to revive the festival of Saint Irini and the customs of the region with the participation of cultural associations from various regions of the island as well as the accompaniment of a traditional musical group. A short distance away we find the Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi [the life-giving font] (18th – 19th century) in Plimmyri, which was built on the ruins of an early Christian Basilica, whose architectural members were reused in the monastery masonry. Furthermore, other small chapels can be found in the countryside of southern Rhodes that offer peace and tranquility.