Arsaniou monastery is located near Pagalochori village, 11km east of Rethymnon, in a location with panoramic views to the Cretan Sea. The church of the monastery is dedicated to St. George and is a cruciform basilica with a dome. A museum and a conference center operate in the complex.
The name of the monastery is, probably, taken after a monk named Arsenios. According to another aspect, the name comes either from Arsinoe, a woman who devoted her fortune to build the monastery or the Cape of Arsinoon.
Timeline
- 16th century: The monk Arsenios founds the male monastery of Arsanios.
- 1600: Inauguration of the church of St. George (the oldest church).
- 1601: A manuscript refers to the monastery of Arsanios
- 1646: The Turks occupy Rethymnon and, probably, the monastery is deserted.
- 1655: The Bishop Neophytos Patelaros grants the monastery to the Patriarchate.
- 1740: The monastery is no longer managed by the Patriarch.
- 1778: The Patriarchate restores the stavropegic (patriarchal) status of Arsaniou.
- 1850: The stavropegic status is renewed.
- 1856: The cells of the monastery's collapse from a strong earthquake.
- 1866: The Turks destroy what they can from the monastery, due to the revolutionary activities of the monks.
- 1888: The new Church of St. George is built on the ruins of the old church.
- 1896: The Turks burn and plunder the monastery.
- 1897: The Turks kill the monk Gabriel Klados. They hang his head on a tree of Rethymnon town and practice on shooting!
- 1900: The monastery is declared as about to stop its operation.
- 1903: The monastery of Arsaniou is reconstituted.
- 1935: Arsaniou is declared preservable. It's granted the smaller monasteries of Agia Irini and Chalevi.
- 1941: During the Second World War, the Germans kill the abbot Damianos Kallergis for offering help to the guerrillas.
- 1970: The monastery gets renovated.
- 1988-90: The main temple is decorated with frescoes. The museum and the conference center are founded.
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