Written by: Irini Lefkoritissa
March ’17

Just outside of Argyroupoli, on the north side of the town, you will find a small road which is indicated by a sign showing the name ‘Kato Poros’. If you have already visited the springs and the site of Ancient Lappa it will be on your right hand side. You turn and follow this road and after a very short drive you will see a sign pointing out the Church of the Five Holy Virgins. It will be at your left hand side whereas at the right hand side you will find a little widening of the road where you can leave your car. Please do take care that you don’t block the entrance to the two gates opening towards fields, people often are at work in their fields at all times of the year and need access to them!

A trail starts, leading you over a very old cobbled path, if it is a wet day it can be slippery! Very soon you will see rectangular cavities in the sandstone formations to your left. These are Roman graves, hewn out of the relatively soft stone. During your walk you can see numerous graves and they have different shapes and sizes. Some are single, not attached to any other grave where others are connected to each other, nearly shaping tunnels in the sandstone wall. It is believed that they were created and used between 50 BC and 100 AD approximately. Very similar graves can be found at the village Matala.

In the middle of this burial ground you will see a church, dedicated to five holy virgins who are commemorated on the 9^th of June. Legend has is that they lived here in the beginning of the Early Christian Period, around 330 AD. Crete was converted to Christendom at an early stage, most likely this was due to the fact that Apostle Paul spent some time on the island during his wanderings in the south-east of the Mediterranean. Though his stay wasn’t very long, his work was continued Crete’s first bishop Titus, chosen and anointed by the Great Apostle himself.

The story has it that the five young ladies lived here under the guidance of a clergyman who was led astray by riches and greed. One day his wealth was threatened by a man who was certainly no faithful Christian.  The money could only be saved by him and the virgins denouncing Christ. The clergyman was ready to do so immediately whereas the women refused to betray their faith, even after torture. At the end they were put to death, dying as true Christian Martyrs. The inhabitants of Argyroupoli brought their remains back to the village and buried them in the graves. At this very spot a church was erected in memory of them and nowadays you can see those graves through a small opening in the wall at the back of the church.

After visiting the church you can walk on a bit further and marvel at a very old and enormous South-east European plane tree. In autumn it loses its foliage but during the summer months its canopy has a wide span and offers welcome shade. Behind the tree there is little spring of water.

From here you can follow the path for about another ten minutes until you reach the bend of hardened road and from there you come back again. This last stretch offers you a pleasant stroll through a green and lush scenery.