Kalyviani Monastery near Mires

The Monastery of Panagia Kalyviani is located at an altitude of 80m around 60km south of Heraklion, next to Mires and Kalyvia villages. It is a relatively new monastery which was built on the ruins of an older one.

The present church was built in 1873 on the ruins of an older monastery, where the icon of Panagia (Virgin Mary) was found during the same year. The complex of Kalyviani still hosts the old church, and the new temple built in 1924, where the old icon is stored.

The new church is three-aisled with its aisles dedicated to the Nativity, the Annunciation and the Assumption of Virgin Mary (celebr. 15 August). Moreover, there is a small church of Saint Haralambos, who was a monk a monk in the monastery, and celebrates on August 23.

Kalyviani is a typical example of a foundation that offers help and charity to poor and needy people. In 1956, the bishop Timothy Papoutsakis created a Christian Foundation based in the monastery.

He built an orphanage, hospice, housekeeping school for girls, elementary school, kindergarten, summer camps, workshops of weaving, knitting and making vestments, etc.