Our country is full of churches and monasteries, both in mainland Greece and on the islands. However, there are some islands that, wherever you turn your eye, you can see from a small church!
Tinos -1000 at least!
Beyond the church of Megalohari there are over 1000 churches on the island. Built on ravines, on shores, in mountains, on plains, so many churches are either parish, private, Orthodox or Catholic. Essentially, it corresponds to one church per 9 inhabitants, in an area of 195 square kilometers.
The fact that, from 1207 to 1715, Tinos was owned by the Venetians, explains the large number of Catholic churches (1/3 of the total). The Venetians, of course, influenced the religious character of the island.
All Christian temples began to be built on the occasion of the vision of Agia Pelagia in 1823, which indicated the place where the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary was buried. Since then, churches are being built all over the island! Some of them are the Catholic Archdiocese of Tinos, Agios Nikolaos, Agios Eleftherios, the Holy Monastery of the Assumption of the Virgin Kechrovouni, the Holy Monastery of Ursulina etc.
Ios -365 churches
Ios has a different church to visit every day of the year! You will find about 365 churches on the island, most of them located in Chora.
At the top of the mountain stands Agios Nikolaos, which protects the sailors and wherever one looks elsewhere, one sees from a small church - a remarkable.
Panagia Gremniotissa, of all these, attracts the interest of tourists. The huge palm tree in its courtyard is a feature of the place. There is a story that claims that the inhabitants of Ios found an image of the Virgin Mary on the rocks of the beach of Mylopotas. She arrived there from Crete where Cretans had thrown her into the sea, so that the Turks would not take her. Thus, the people of Niot built a church to house the icon, on a steep place - hence the name of the church.
Sifnos-360
In Sifnos you will find more than 360 churches and monasteries, scattered in every corner. The white sacred buildings are the result of hard work of the locals who worked for their construction and proof of their faith.
Many of the churches of the island are also considered historical monuments. Some of them are Panagia Aggeloktisti, with a mosaic floor of pebbles, Agios Konstantinos, with an image of Panagia Vrefokratousa, from 1462, Profitis Ilias Psilos, which is located at the highest point of Sifnos and has 5 domes.
The Monastery of Chrysopigi also stands out, built on a rock in Platys Gialos, perhaps the most famous monastery of Sifnos, with the miraculous icon of Panagia Chrysopigi, but also the monastery of Agios Ioannis Theologos of Mougos, which is considered one of the most important post-Byzantine buildings of the island - the icon of Agios Ioannis dates from the 15th century.
Other churches are Panagia tou Vounou, Agios Elisaios, Panagia Eleousa, Panagia Ouranofora, Chrysostomos, Panagia Vrysi etc.
Kithnos-359
In Kythnos, one can see 359 churches and monasteries.
Kythnos, once called Thermia, from the thermal springs that exist there, and as important sights, in addition to these thermal springs has its churches and monasteries. Entering the island, you meet St. Barbara, and then, wherever you turn to look, you will see a white sacred dot.
Η θαυματουργή Παναγιά η Κανάλα, που βρίσκεται στο νοτιοανατολικό τμήμα του νησιού, αποτελεί έναν από τους σημαντικότερους χώρους προσκυνήματος στις Κυκλάδες. Σύμφωνα με την παράδοση, η εικόνα της Παναγιάς, βρέθηκε από ψαράδες στο κανάλι ανάμεσα στην Κύθνο και τη Σέριφο, εξ’ού και το όνομά της Κανάλα. Κάθε Δεκαπενταύγουστο γίνεται μεγάλο πανηγύρι με την περιφορά της εικόνας και την αναπαράσταση της εύρεσής της.
Other churches of Kythnos are Panagia tou Nikou, Panagia Flampouriani, Panagia Stratilatissa, Agios Savvas, Agios Minas etc.
