Saint Gerasimos monastery, named after the wonder-maker and protector of Kefalonia, is the most well-known monastery on the island. Gerasimos of Kefalonia was born in 1506 and comes from an aristocratic Byzantine family. He is known for very specific ascetic life, but also by the fact that he foretold his own death. He became a monk on Mount Athos and was appointed priest in Jerusalem, where he served for 12 years in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. He abandoned Jerusalem continue to lead as a anchorite on the island of Crete and Zakynthos.
At 49, he arrives at Kefalonia and his life continues in the same style, this time in a cave near Argostoli, and then moves to the mountainous region of Valsamati, where he founded the monastery in 1559. He died 20 years later.
Gerasimos is known as the healer of people possessed by demons. In the church within the monastery lay his undamaged Holy Relics. Days of this saint is celebrated on August 15 and October 20, when a large number of pilgrims visit the monastery. During these days, the monastery also provides special halls, where for 40 days they can fast and pray in order to free themselves from the demon.
The monastery is about 13km from Argostoli and Sami. The road is not complicated. Considering that Kefalonia is a mountainous island, and you have to reach the monastery using curvy and narrow road.
References:Visby Cathedral (also known as St. Mary’s Church) is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally built for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350 the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. The two-storey magazine was also added then above the nave as a warehouse for merchants.
Following the Reformation, the church was transformed into a parish church for the town of Visby. All other churches were abandoned. Shortly after the Reformation, in 1572, Gotland was made into its own Diocese, and the church designated its cathedral.
There is not much left of the original interior. The font is made of local red marble in the 13th century. The pulpit was made in Lübeck in 1684. There are 400 graves under the church floor.