Saint Filimon, Arnitha

The Holy Monastery of Saint Filimon [or Filimonas] is located on a hill 350m. to the northeast of the traditional village of Arnitha. It is found 80 kilometres from the city of Rhodes. It has been surmised that the Saint has been worshiped in the area since the 13th century. According to oral tradition, Saint Filimon was a psychiatrist and the place where the monastery is today used to be a mental health clinic. Today, only the katholikon of the monastery (1839 – 1856) is preserved, which is a single-naved cross-vaulted church with a more recent narthex and bell tower, and a 17th-century iconostasis that underwent more recent modifications through the work of Cretan artists. The celebration of the Saint’s memory is held twice a year, on November 22 and July 20, with a festive vespers and cultural events in the picturesque square at the entrance of the village. It is noteworthy that after the vespers the priest blesses the faithful pilgrims with the “Sword of Saint Filimon” which is kept in the Monastery along with other relics and artefacts. Not far from the monastery, in Apolakkia, we find the Byzantine church of Saint Georgios Vardas (1289/1290) and the parish church of Saint Marina. A few kilometers further south we see the Holy Monastery of Skiadi.