Saint Paraskevi, Kattavia

The church of Saint Paraskevi is located at the southwestern end of the island in the village of Kattavia and it is located about 81 kilometres from the city of Rhodes. Saint Paraskevi is the patron Saint of the area and during her celebration there is a three-day traditional festival (July 25, 26 and 27) which is a magnet for the residents of the surrounding areas as well as tourists. It is a single-nave basilica of the Dodecanesian type. The church is painted in its entirety, has an elaborate wooden iconostasis and is famous for the miraculous icon of Saint Paraskevi. During the summer months, the churchyard hosts the festival of the “lopio” (bean), as the area is famous for the good variety of beans it produces. During the festival, a large number of people gather to enjoy the music, dancing and food. In the wider area of Kattavia, we find one of the most important religious monuments of the island, the “Katholiki” church of the Virgin, with frescoes dating from the 17th century, as well as other chapels. At a short distance (12 km.), on the way to Cape Prasonisi, we also find an abandoned Roman Catholic monastic complex with a church of Saint Mark.