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https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9840#0067
II.] MONASTERY OF HAGHIOS ELEUTHERIOS. 19
fully delineated2. I must however speak of some monas-
teries, and of two natural grottos, in the neighbourhood.
The village of Murnies is somewhat less than three
miles to the south of Khania, at the foot of the moun-
tains. Near it is the monastery of Haghios Eleutherios3,
which, as well as Haghia Kyriake, was formerly a
metdkhi of Haghia Khrusopeghe. The principal mo-
nastery has been long deserted. The society of Haghios
Eleutherios consist of an Abbot or Hegumenos4, and
five monks. On visiting them I found the Abbot
dressed, as is usually the case, in the same simple man-
ner as his brethren. He was deliohted to talk Greek
with me, and told a long story about a treasure dis-
covered some time ago by Europeans. On visiting the
chapel of the convent, I observed not only paintings of
the Virgin, Christ, Demetrios, and other Saints, but
also a crucifix, consisting of an iron cross with a Christ
in high relief on it. I suggested to the worthy Abbot
that it was a novelty to see any thing so nearly ap-
proaching the practice of the Roman Catholic Church
in a Greek place of worship, where paintings alone, and
not statues or bas-reliefs, are allowed5. He admitted
that the thing was prohibited6, and, in itself, wrong;
but added, that the crucifix had been there many many
years, and contained within it a piece of the true cross7.
In an engagement with the Mohammedans, during the
revolution, a priest stood with it in his hand. As long
2 See Tournefort, Voyage du Levant, Tom. i. p. 23. Savary, Let-
tres sur la Grece, Lettre xxxiv. Sonnini, Voyage en Grece et en Turquie,
Ch. xvi—xx. Sieber, Reise nach der Insel Kreta, Vol. i. p. 129, fol.
3 Tou dy'tov 'EXevdepiov. 4 'O 'Hyov/ievos.
5 There is a celebrated picture of the Virgin at Megaspe'laeon, which is
said to have been made by St Luke, several of whose paintings are seen in
Roman Catholic churches. The image "attracts the visits of pilgrims, and
makes a great addition to the revenue of the pious establishment." See
Dodwell's Tour through Greece, Vol. n. p. 450. It is said to be made
of lentisk wood: Bartholdy, Voyage en Grece, Part. it. p. 21. Fr. trans.
The Greeks have two other paintings, which are called works of the same
artist: see Hartley, Researches in Greece, Ch. xn. pp. 181. 183. and 359.
6 EI;/ai e/jLiroOMTfievo to irpdyp.a. 7 Tou tl/jllov iTTavpov.
B 2
fully delineated2. I must however speak of some monas-
teries, and of two natural grottos, in the neighbourhood.
The village of Murnies is somewhat less than three
miles to the south of Khania, at the foot of the moun-
tains. Near it is the monastery of Haghios Eleutherios3,
which, as well as Haghia Kyriake, was formerly a
metdkhi of Haghia Khrusopeghe. The principal mo-
nastery has been long deserted. The society of Haghios
Eleutherios consist of an Abbot or Hegumenos4, and
five monks. On visiting them I found the Abbot
dressed, as is usually the case, in the same simple man-
ner as his brethren. He was deliohted to talk Greek
with me, and told a long story about a treasure dis-
covered some time ago by Europeans. On visiting the
chapel of the convent, I observed not only paintings of
the Virgin, Christ, Demetrios, and other Saints, but
also a crucifix, consisting of an iron cross with a Christ
in high relief on it. I suggested to the worthy Abbot
that it was a novelty to see any thing so nearly ap-
proaching the practice of the Roman Catholic Church
in a Greek place of worship, where paintings alone, and
not statues or bas-reliefs, are allowed5. He admitted
that the thing was prohibited6, and, in itself, wrong;
but added, that the crucifix had been there many many
years, and contained within it a piece of the true cross7.
In an engagement with the Mohammedans, during the
revolution, a priest stood with it in his hand. As long
2 See Tournefort, Voyage du Levant, Tom. i. p. 23. Savary, Let-
tres sur la Grece, Lettre xxxiv. Sonnini, Voyage en Grece et en Turquie,
Ch. xvi—xx. Sieber, Reise nach der Insel Kreta, Vol. i. p. 129, fol.
3 Tou dy'tov 'EXevdepiov. 4 'O 'Hyov/ievos.
5 There is a celebrated picture of the Virgin at Megaspe'laeon, which is
said to have been made by St Luke, several of whose paintings are seen in
Roman Catholic churches. The image "attracts the visits of pilgrims, and
makes a great addition to the revenue of the pious establishment." See
Dodwell's Tour through Greece, Vol. n. p. 450. It is said to be made
of lentisk wood: Bartholdy, Voyage en Grece, Part. it. p. 21. Fr. trans.
The Greeks have two other paintings, which are called works of the same
artist: see Hartley, Researches in Greece, Ch. xn. pp. 181. 183. and 359.
6 EI;/ai e/jLiroOMTfievo to irpdyp.a. 7 Tou tl/jllov iTTavpov.
B 2