As I was walking along the shoreline of an old fishing village in Chania, Crete, I happened to notice a small dollhouse-like church sitting on a post at the end of one of the wooden docks. I then walked out to take a closer look at this intriguing little white structure with a red-tiled roof and narrow-arched windows.
I soon began to notice these little models of Greek Orthodox churches all around Chania and decided to find out more about them.
It turns out that the tiny intricately designed models of Greek Orthodox churches are called kandylakia which means little candle in Greek. The history of making kandylakia dates back to the Byzantine era when portable religious icons were used for private worship. Over time, they evolved into miniature churches, crafted by skilled artisans, and used as offerings or gifts.
Today they are considered a symbol of faith and devotion in the Greek Orthodox religion and are often used to commemorate special occasions like weddings and baptisms and are believed to bring blessings and protection to the house where they are displayed. The Greek Orthodox Church is the “prevailing religion” in Greece's constitution. Its members comprise about 95% of the population.
Chania (pop. 60,000) is the second largest city in Crete. We found November to be a great time to be here – the weather was mild with lots of sunshine and there were very few tourists around. I'm still missing the lovely walks along the sea and my favorite restaurant, Pallas, where I enjoyed Greek Yogurt bowls and morning coffee.
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