This is the Monastery of Genesiou tis Theotokou, located in the neighborhood of Gras Kera and belonging to the parish of Delian Kissamos. It is also known as Metochi of Panagia tis Gras Kera. The name Gras Keras (Kera Panagia the Virgin) was probably given to distinguish the monastery from another newer one with the same name. In the codex of the Holy Monastery of Gonia (1632) it is mentioned at the beginning that the family of Damoras, well-known priests, dedicated to the Monastery of Odigetria Gonia, among others, "the monastery of the Virgin Mary, the one called Gran Keran, in a place called Alexiana." . Also, the monastery is mentioned as the Metochi of the Gonia Monastery in a Patriarchal document (March 13, 1690) of Patriarch Kallinikos II as well as in a Patriarchal Seal (1797) of Patriarch Gregory V.
The church has the shape of a single-aisled basilica (12X5) with a pitched roof, a monolobed bell tower and has architectural and decorative elements from the Venetian period (pointed windows, relief spiral decoration). A marble inscription on the lintel of the western entrance refers to the renovation of the church in 1953 by Dim. Agorastakis. The interior of the church is dominated by the wood-carved iconostasis (1953), the work of Vassilis Verganelakis and Nik. Painter, with Renaissance style images. To the west of the Monastery is its pillar and to its left two cells with arches, while to the north the oven, the well and a shed for the animals can be seen. To the east are the cells of the monks. In 1923, Metochi is expropriated and allocated to the Army Stock Fund. In 1946 it is bought by the Greek-American, Dim. Bought and lived in until 1973.
Editor: Niki Kalopaidis