Michael Archangel church in Kouneni (Vathi)
The church of Michael Archangel or Astratigos is located in a rural location very close to the village of Kouneni (current official name is Vathi) and belongs to the architectural type of the single-nave arched roofed temple. Internally, the temple bears fresco decoration dating back from the early 14th century attributed to the workshop of the famous hagiographer of West Crete, Ioannis Pagomenos.
The pictorial program includes the usual evangelical scenes in the arch and scenes from the circle of the Archangels, while saints are depicted in lower zones. In the Sanctuary we see Panagia Platytera (a representation of the Virgin Mary (Theotokos), facing the viewer directly, depicted full length with her hands in the "orans" position) and the co-officiating hierarchs and Melismos.
