Monastery of Saint George Selinaris ☦️ Crete

This place in Crete (Greece) is known for numerous supernatural occurences, foremost the miraculous icon of Saint George. Numerous healings had been recorded. Filmed by me, 2020. Now, let me explain why we use icons of holy men and Christ in the church. This is not the wood or icon that heals people but Saint George through many graces granted to him By God. Icons are merely windows to the saints or Christ, depending on who is depicted there. Images and photographs capture and communicate the energy of the one depicted on them. Some spiritually sensitive individuals can read the photographs, sensing this energy eitherfrom photo or object that belonged to a person and would tell you if person is dead or alive by merely looking at picture. This is a well known and common phenomena. In similar way, we do honour our parents or beloved by keeping their framed photos in our house. This is also a form of visual Gospel, as human is bodily and sensual creature. Carved depictions of angels (cherubim) were also in the Holy of the Holies of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Let us also remember that in the Orthodox church it is prohibited to depict God the Father, the First Person of the Holy Trinity. But when it comes to Christ, the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, humanity did see Him as He revealed Himself in human shape and just as one honors the father by keeping his portrait in sleeping room, so we do honor the Saviour.
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The male monastery of Saint George Selinaris is built in the heart of the gorge Selinari, near Vrachasi village and Neapolis. Next to the monastery passes the National Road connecting Heraklion to Agios Nikolaos, which is the main reason why Selinaris receives many visitors daily. For the Cretans it is considered bad luck to cross the canyon without stopping at St. George. This has prevailed since the past, when the travellers stopped here to rest with their animals. Filmed by me. 2020.

According to tradition, a monk from Rhodes, named Nikolaos, was led by God to a place where he found the icon of St. George and thus he built a church. Nikolaos lived at Selinari till his death, when he was buried in a small cave at the top of Anavlohos mount, which was carved by him. Several years after his death, when a boat from Rhodes visited Crete, the sailors were led by a shining star to the tomb of Nikolaos. They understood that it was a divine hint and transferred his bones to Rhodes. Anavlohos cave is located on the east side of the gorge, just opposite the monastery, and you can locate the exact position by looking up the gorge walls and see a big cross. The cave is accessible on foot, but climbing the steep path requires good physical condition.

Finally, during the Ottoman Era, the Turks probably tried to destroy the monastery, as it is evidenced by the three bullets that have stuck in the old icon of Saint George, which Is also considered miraculous.

It is worth stopping at the monastery and admiring the beauty of the lush canyon and cool off at the local spring. The monks are very friendly and ready to tell you the history of the monastery. The main body of the central church is modern, while the chapel of St. George (the initial temple built by Nikolaos) has also modern wall paintings. Here also operates a modern nursing home that has been built on the ruins of the old cells of the monastery.

Source: St. George Selinaris monastery - Travel Guide for Island Crete, Greece