Entry of the Virgin to the Temple, Masari

The parish church in the village of Masari, in the southeast of the island, is dedicated to the Entry of the Virgin to the Temple (1863-1867) and it is located in the center of the village. It is found 40 kilometres from the center of the city of Rhodes. It is a single-naved cruciform church, with wall frescoes dating from 1867, as documented on an inscription. It has an elaborate wood-carved iconostasis of the same date as the construction of the church. Several dates are preserved on the pebbled floor from 1865 to 1908. The bell tower was built in 1870. It celebrates on November 21st. This is the biggest festival in the region as the Virgin is considered the patroness of the village of Masari. On the eve of the feast, a festive vespers is held, and on the celebration day a Divine Liturgy is celebrated with the participation of the Metropolitan and with a formal procession of the miraculous icon of the Entry of the Virgin to the Temple. Afterwards, a traditional feast follows in the village square. According to tradition, the icon of the Entry of the Virgin to the Temple is also celebrated on the Feast of the Life-giving Font (on Easter Friday), when it is taken to the chapel of the same name located near the Italian bridge, in the Gadouras area, through a procession accompanied by a multitude of people. Next to the church we see the village school with its typical neoclassical architecture. At a short distance, we find the old church of Saint Ioannis and the Byzantine monastery of the Archangels at the location Kameiri (15th century). To the northeast we find the hospitaller castle of Feraklou (15th century) and the chapel of Saint Agatha (14th -15th century) located on the homonymous beach of Agia Agatha.