Hosia Maria
(St Mary of Egypt)
14th century
The small church of St Mary of Egypt is located approximately in the middle of the Samaria Gorge. The Samaria National Park probably takes its name from this church, just outside the now abandoned village of the same name. The information on the date of the church once contained in the dedicatory inscription has been lost. However, Gerola mentions an incised date of 1379, dating the church to the 14th century.
It is a long, narrow, single-nave church, roofed with a barrel vault without supporting arches. The gabled roof is covered with Byzantine-type roof tiles.
The overall dimensions of the building are approximately 4.60 x 3.65 x 4.80 m. (length x width x height). There is a simple rectangular doorway with a plain wooden beam for a lintel. The only other opening in the church is the window in the conch of the apse, formed of two small square openings lacking sculptural decoration or other notable features.
The interior of the church is decorated with frescoes, mainly scenes from the Christological cycle and one from the Life of St Mary. The frescoes, the work of a folk artist active in the West Cretan countryside in the first half of the 14th century, are of reasonable quality with interesting iconographic themes, but extensively damaged.
The church has undergone minor interventions which have not affected its architecture or the fresco decoration. The external buttresses are a later addition of uncertain date. Another addition, which may or may not be contemporary with the buttresses, is the inscribed arched stone plaque over the lintel of the doorway. The date 1888 is clearly visible, presumably marking the year of certain interventions.
Other minor interventions were subsequently carried out, mainly with regard to the layout of the surrounding area and the conservation of the exterior plasterwork.
The church before the start of the works
Photo
Gallery
