The legend surrounding the monasteries and hermitages of Crete instills awe in anyone who decides to delve into their history. Even the events that marked the historical course of Crete seem legendary, with the most characteristic example being the Arcadian Self-Sacrifice.

Ascetic figures of Orthodox hermits, who spent their lives in caves, as well as learned monks, who taught in the desolate Asteroussian wilderness during dark times for Crete or wrote commentaries on Aristotle, adorn the endless list of Cretan monks. However, the awe grows when the search for sources and historical data begins. Information about most Cretan monasteries is scattered in scientific writings and scarce editions today.

Furthermore, there are records and sources that have not yet been researched. There are indeed a few good studies on similar monasteries, but a comprehensive historical treatment of the island’s monastic centers is lacking. This publication attempts to gather many of the existing historical information regarding the Cretan monasteries, as well as to publish the material that emerged from my research in sources available in Crete (Monastery Archives, Communities and Metropolitan Archives, Historical Museum of Crete in Heraklion, Historical Archive of Crete in Chania, Vikelas Library, etc.).

The more well-known information is published here rather concisely in relation to the lesser-known. The monasteries and hermitages are examined in sections by geographical areas (with few exceptions). The first volume contains 24 sections with data and information about 144 monasteries and hermitages.

[Excerpt from the text of the preface]