East of the Monastery of Agios Ioannis Lampadistis (the Illuminator), in the village of Marathasa, Kalopanagiotis, the chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary is built on the slope of the bed of a tributary of Setrachos.
It is built in the 12th century simultaneously with the Monastery of Agios Ioannis. Upon completion of the building a holm oak grew on the edge of the deep ravine. In a short period of time it became a huge tree whose branches, "embraced" the small temple by eliminating it from the predatory eyes of the Saracens and other pirates, thus saving it from looting. So it got the nickname "Church of Our Lady Of Theoskepasti".
The site in which it is built and the holm oak of massive dimensions in the courtyard, with all its branches, are adorned with tributes made by the believers. Its architecture looks like it is a basilica with uneven pitched wooden roof tiles, while internally it forms two large arches that divide the church into two, making it look like the most beautiful church on the island.
If you travel to the great and famous Monastery of Agios Ioannis Lampadistis, take a few minutes to visit the chapel of Our Lady Theoskepasti. It is just 150 meters from the Monastery and your reward from the site will be multiples of the time you will spend.
In local lore, it is said that the Prinos (holm oak) which has grown in the yard of the small church is a sacred tree and whoever cuts the branches, will find a thousand myriad evils. The tree is under the protection of the Department of Forests of the island.
