Saint Silas, or Saint Soulas, Soroni

The countryside chapel dedicated to Saint Silas, the travelling companion of Saint Paul, is located in the northwest of the island, in the Soroni area, in a forest area full of tall pine trees. It is located about 30 kilometres from the city of Rhodes and celebrates on July 30. It is a small single-nave church that was probably built in the 19th century. Inside the church there is a spring with miraculous water located inside an artificially constructed cave. The pilgrimage has gained a great reputation because of the miracles performed on people with skin diseases, among other things. That is why the feast of Saint Silas has always been one of the biggest pilgrimages of the island. Pilgrims from every corner of the island arrive every year for the festival of Saint Silas which lasts about a week. Various religious and cultural events take place during the festive season. In the surrounding area there is a racecourse that was built during the period of Italian rule of the island by the then governor, Mario Lago, and it is still in use today. In addition, there is a Road Safety Instruction Park, and appropriate recreation and rest areas for visitors.