Christ the Savior church at Kefali
The church of Christ the Savior (Sotiras Christos) is located in the cemetery of the village Kefali of the area called Nine Villages in Kissamos Province and is dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Savior (celebr. August 6th). The single-nave arch-roofed temple has been externally altered by recent interventions, but internally it preserves its rich wall paintings that date back from 1320, according to the inscription.
The pictorial program includes the Pantokrator in the conch of the sanctuary, scenes of the evangelical cycle in the arch and saints lower on the walls. Upright saints are depicted in medallions. Among the saints there is Saint Anna with little Mary in her arms.
The church was painted by two different workshops. The first hagiographer repeats in a folklore version, older pictorial standards. The latter is more capable and follows the western standards of his era. The walls also feature many engravings, dates and a coat of arms attributed to the various wanderers of Crete in the Middle Ages.
