Remembrance of the Dormition of the Virgin, Kremasti

The parish church of the Dormition of the Virgin or “Panagia Katholiki” is located in the town of Kremasti, on the Rhodes-Paradisi highway and it is located 13 kilometres away from the city of Rhodes. It is a church that was built in 1960 on the site of an older church from which only the western gate with the bell tower (1804) are currently preserved and constitute one of the most interesting examples of baroque architecture on the island. The contemporary church is built in the architectural type of the cross-in-square domed church. Its northern aisle is dedicated to Saint Savvas and the southern aisle is dedicated to Saint Spyridon. It is decorated with more recent frescoes in its entirety and has an excellent wood-carved and gilded iconostasis. One of the precious icons kept in the church is the imposing icon of the Virgin Mary “Katholiki” (15th century) which is located in a specially designated area to the southwest of the church. It is one of the largest pilgrimages of the Mother of God in the Dodecanese and it is celebrated on August 15 and 23. On the eve of the Dormition of the Virgin there is an Epitaph procession. Moreover, as part of the celebration, various religious and cultural events take place. At the same time, the Panhellenic Handicraft Exhibition is held, which attracts exhibitors and visitors from all over the country. A short distance away in the small village of Kremasti, we find the medieval castle of the area, built after 1323, inside which there is a small church dedicated to Saint Nikolaos (circa 14th century). At a short distance from the church (500m.) to the south, in a lush green part of the location “Koufa”, we find the church of Saint John the Theologian (17th century), while a few kilometers to the southwest, in the village of Maritsa, we find the church of Saint Nikolaos (1434/1435). They are both distinguished for their exceptional hagiographic compositions.