Lord Christ Church at Jiouktas

The Monastery of Christ the Savior (Sotiras Christos) , better known as Lord Christ (Afendis Christos) was built on the second highest peak of the sacred mountain of the Minoans, Jiouktas . Today, from the abandoned monastery survives only the four-aisled temple dedicated to the Transfiguration ( Metamorfosis - celebrates on August 6), the Holy Belt of Virgin Mary ( Agia Zoni - 1 August), the Holy Apostles ( Agii Apostoli - 30 June) and Holy Unmercenaries ( Agii Anargyri - July 1).

The view from the whitewashed chapel hanging over the western cliffs of Jiouktas , to the bay of Heraklion is amazing. The monastery can be accessed through dirt road from Epano Archanes .

Afendis Christos served as a Venetian monastery and was well known to all travelers coming to Jiouktas , to see the place where the ancients placed the tomb of Zeus . Below the church, there are the cells of the Nuns (Kelia Kalogradon) , a very weird religious building on the steep rock.