Saint Thomas, Mesanagros

The chapel of Saint Thomas (14th century) is located outside the traditional mountainside village of Mesanagros, in a beautiful natural landscape (pine forest) on the south side of the island. It is about 80 kilometres from the city of Rhodes. It is a small single-space church which was probably built on the ruins of an early Christian Basilica. 15th century hagiographies are still preserved inside it. The celebration takes place on the first Sunday after Easter (movable feast). On the day of the feast, a Divine Liturgy is celebrated, and a large number of believers and visitors gather from all over the island, in order to honor the memory of the Saint but also to enjoy the traditional festival that takes place in the appropriately arranged churchyard. In fact, the church of Saint Thomas is the last station of the custom of the “transfer” (procession) of the icon of Panagia Skiadeni (Virgin Mary of Skiadi), that takes place during Lent in the villages of Southern Rhodes. Not far from this church, in the center of Mesanagros, we find the parish church of the Dormition (15th century) and to the northwest the Holy Monastery of Skiadi.