Panagia Kakopetriotissa

It is an old abbey, founded in the middle of the 15th century. Maria Venieri, member of the Venetian noble Venieri family, fell in love with a Venetian officer. After they were engaged, Venice went to war and the officer was called to fullfil his duty. A lot of time passed and the two lovers had no contact with one another. Believing that her fiancee had forsaken her, she decided to become a nun. As the books of the Kaloutsi family testify, she became a nun in the Church of Agios Eleftherios (San Liberale), in Manitochori. After some time, the war ended and the officer returned seeking his beloved. He was informed that Maria was a nun in Agios Eleftherios. When they saw each other again, she told him she was the bride of Jesus Christ now and his attempts to change her mind were in vain. Hoping he could change her mind, he told her to ask something of him. Maria then told him her wish. She wanted a church built in the name of the Virgin Mary, a church that would have cells in which she could spend the rest of her life. Then, the officer pulled a pouch from his belt full of gold coins and gave it to her. Maria set out to fullfil her wish. She took a white dove, blessed it and promised to build a church at the place the dove went after its release. The dove went to the rock of Kakopetrio. Thus, the small abbey that housed women nuns was built, with Maria as the Mother Superior. Today, her remains are burried in the yard of the church, bearing the coat of arms of the Venieri family. The remains of the Archbishop of Kythira Nektarios Venieris, a relative of Maria, are also burried here. The church along with the entire complex later became the property of the Kaloutsi family, as Ioannis Paloutsis married a daughter of the Venieri family