Dormition of the Virgin, Embonas

The parish church of the Dormition of the Virgin is located in the center of the village of Embonas, at the foot of the highest mountain of Rhodes, Attavyros. It is found about 54 kilometres from the city of Rhodes. It celebrates on August 15. It belongs to the type of single-nave cross-vault church built in 1853. It has a wood-carved iconostasis made before 1875, with portable icons by the painter Michael dating from 1884-1885. The bell tower was built in 1886. It is the most important pilgrimage of the village and on the eve of the celebration a procession is carried out in veneration of the icon. Almost next to the church we find the Folklore Museum. To the south of the village, at a distance of 7 kilometres, we find the renovated Holy Monastery of Artamitis, dedicated to Saint John the Theologian, with its wonderful wood-carved and gilded iconostasis and the miraculous icon of the Virgin or “Panagia Artamitissa”. Also nearby are scenic trails that lead to the natural cypress forest, which is one of the preserved natural monuments in Greece included in the NATURA 2000 Network. The wine of the village is of renowned quality, produced from the extensive vineyards of the area.