Crete Honors WWII Victims With Interfaith Memorial for 'Tanais'

Sunday, 14 June 2026/Source: Haniotika Nea/1 min read

A moving interfaith memorial ceremony was held in Crete to honor the victims of the "Tanais," a vessel associated with the deportation and death of Greek Jews and Cretan resistance fighters during World War II. Prayers were led jointly by Jewish, Catholic, and Orthodox clergy, reflecting the multiracial and multifaith community that suffered together. The event was organized by local authorities alongside the Central Jewish Council of Greece. This commemoration highlights Crete's significant but often overlooked wartime history, when the island's Jewish community, concentrated primarily in Heraklion and Chania, was devastated by Nazi occupation. Visitors interested in this history can explore the Jewish Museum of Crete in Chania and the Etz Hayyim Synagogue, one of the oldest functioning synagogues in Europe, which also hosts memorial events and welcomes visitors year-round.