Monastery of Panagia Exakousti in Malles

The Monastery of Panagia Exakousti stands in the green hill country of Malles, near Ierapetra in eastern Crete. Panagia Exakousti works today as a convent for women, and the nuns who live there run a textile workshop and a tailoring and needlework shop, and sell souvenirs to visitors.

The monastery is tied to one man more than to any building: Abbot Hatzi Ananias, who found the icon of the Virgin Mary in a cave here in 1877 and rebuilt the ruined monastery around it. His tomb lies inside the complex, and pilgrims came to it for blessings and healing.

Who Abbot Hatzi Ananias was

Hatzi Ananias was the abbot whose life shaped the monastery’s history. Ananias is said to have refused his mother’s breast on Wednesdays and Fridays as a baby, and he kept that severity for the rest of his life: he never ate meat, fish or cheese, he dressed in animal skins, and he used a stone as a pillow.

At 14 he moved to Kapsas Monastery, where Monk Gerontoyannis influenced him. In 1877 he returned to Malles and found the icon of the Virgin Mary in a cave among the ruins of the Exakousti Monastery, which is what moved him to rebuild the place. He was believed to perform miracles during his lifetime, pilgrims travelled to Exakousti for his blessing or for healing, and he was declared a saint after his death.

The monastery church

The church of the monastery is a single-aisled, vaulted basilica dedicated to the Virgin Mary’s Birthday, which is celebrated on 8 September. The iconostasis was carved by the Makrakis and Farsaris brothers, wood carvers who worked for Crete’s religious community. Most of the icons on it are recent, but two older icons remain, one of Panagia and one of John the Baptist.

The two chapels

Two chapels stand within the monastery besides the main church. The first occupies a small cave and is dedicated to the Transfiguration of Christ, and this is the cave where Ananias found the icon of the Virgin Mary. The second was built by the nuns in the northeastern corner of the monastery and is dedicated to the Blessed Fathers and Mothers.

Getting to Panagia Exakousti

Drive up to the monastery through Malles, the village it takes its name from, inland of Ierapetra on the south side of the island. The road climbs out of the coastal plain into green hill country, and the nearest villages sit close by: Christos is 2.8 km away and Anatoli 4.5 km.

What else is nearby

The hills around Malles carry several gorges, and the south coast beaches lie under 10 km below. The places below are listed by distance from the monastery.

• Christos village lies 2.8 km from the monastery.
• Havgas Gorge at Kalamafka starts 4 km away.
• Anatoli village is 4.5 km out, and Kalamafka village 5 km.
• Sarakina Gorge cuts through the hills 6.5 km away.
• Riza village stands 6.7 km from Malles.
• The Pyrgos Myrtos archaeological site lies 7.1 km away, above Myrtos village at 7.5 km.
• Myrtos beach is 7.6 km out on the south coast, the nearest swim to the monastery.
• Holy Apostles Gorge at Lapathos is also 7.6 km away.
• The Sanctuary of Hermes and Aphrodite lies 8.6 km from Malles.
• Vatos beach is 8.9 km away and Tertsa beach 10.9 km.
• Kritsa stands 10.4 km north, with Kritsa Gorge 11.6 km from the monastery.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Monastery of Panagia Exakousti?

Panagia Exakousti stands at Malles, in the green hills inland of Ierapetra in eastern Crete. The villages of Christos and Anatoli lie 2.8 km and 4.5 km away.

Is Panagia Exakousti a working monastery?

Yes, it operates as a convent for women. The nuns run a textile workshop and a tailoring and needlework shop inside the monastery, and they sell souvenirs.

Who was Hatzi Ananias?

Hatzi Ananias was the abbot who rebuilt the Exakousti Monastery after finding the icon of the Virgin Mary there in 1877. He was declared a saint after his death, and his tomb is inside the monastery.

When is the feast day at Panagia Exakousti?

The monastery celebrates on 8 September, the Birthday of the Virgin Mary. The single-aisled, vaulted basilica at the centre of the complex is dedicated to that feast.

Where did Ananias find the icon of the Virgin Mary?

He found it in a small cave among the ruins of the old monastery. That cave is now a chapel dedicated to the Transfiguration of Christ, inside the monastery grounds.

Who carved the iconostasis at Panagia Exakousti?

The Makrakis and Farsaris brothers carved it. Both families worked as wood carvers for Crete’s religious community. The icons set into it are mostly recent, apart from two older ones of Panagia and John the Baptist.