Saint Gerasimus

Mykonos is dotted with more than 800 chapels and churches — more places of worship per square kilometre than almost anywhere else in the Aegean. The small chapel dedicated to Saint Gerasimus is one of these quiet sanctuaries: a whitewashed Orthodox shrine that follows the island's distinctive architectural tradition of cubic volumes, blue or red domes, and thick lime-washed walls that reflect the afternoon sun. Its coordinates place it roughly in the interior of the island, away from the concentrated bustle of Mykonos Town.

Chapels like this one were historically built by local families or fishing communities as acts of devotion — sometimes to fulfil a vow (a tama) made during a period of danger at sea or illness on land. Whoever commissioned this chapel almost certainly had a personal connection to Saint Gerasimus, a saint whose name and feast are observed across Greece, and whose most important shrine stands on the neighbouring island of Kefalonia. On Mykonos, as on other Cycladic islands, smaller satellite chapels bearing a major saint's name are common, and they continue to be lit and tended by the families who maintain them.

Visiting this chapel is a quiet, unhurried experience rather than a ticketed attraction. There are no guided tours here, no entry fee, and no crowds. If the door is unlocked you may step inside briefly to observe the iconostasis — the carved wooden screen bearing icons that separates the nave from the sanctuary — and to light a candle if you wish.

What to Expect

The exterior of a Mykonian chapel of this type is its most immediately striking feature. Thick whitewashed walls, a small bell arch (campanile) or a single hanging bell, and a low doorway are standard elements. The interior, if accessible, will be compact — often just enough space for a dozen worshippers — with an iconostasis painted in the Cycladic style, oil-burning vigil lamps (kandilia) hanging before the icons, and a faint smell of beeswax and incense that lingers between services.

The icon of Saint Gerasimus inside the chapel will typically depict the saint in monastic robes, often with a depiction of the cave on Kefalonia where he lived as an ascetic. On or near the saint's feast days — 16 August and 20 October in the Orthodox calendar — you may find fresh flowers, candles, and a small tray of koliva (boiled wheat offered in memory of the dead) left by a local family.

The surrounding landscape at these coordinates is characteristic of Mykonos's interior: low granite outcrops, sparse vegetation of sage and thyme, and the occasional distant glimpse of the sea. The chapel sits in this spare, sun-bleached setting with a simplicity that is itself the point.

Because the chapel is privately maintained, access to the interior is not guaranteed. The exterior, however, is always visible and worth a brief stop if you are passing through this part of the island.

How to Get There

The coordinates (37.4466°N, 25.3279°E) place the chapel in the central-interior region of Mykonos, not along the main coastal road. A rental car, scooter, or ATV is the most practical option for reaching it independently, as the island's public bus network connects the main beaches and Mykonos Town but does not serve the rural interior comprehensively.

From Mykonos Town (Chora), head south or southeast on the main island road toward Ano Mera, then navigate with a maps application toward the precise coordinates. The road leading directly to a small interior chapel may be unpaved for the final stretch — typical of paths to rural Mykonian shrines. A scooter or small 4x4 handles this comfortably.

Taxi availability on Mykonos fluctuates with demand; in high season, arrange a return pickup in advance rather than expecting to hail one from a rural location. There is no formal parking area, but the road shoulder near small chapels customarily accommodates a vehicle or two.

Accessibility is limited: the terrain and narrow doorways of traditional Cycladic chapels are generally not wheelchair accessible.

Best Time to Visit

The chapel can be visited year-round, but the experience changes considerably by season. In July and August, the interior of Mykonos is hot and dry; visiting in the early morning — before 9:00 — or in the late afternoon after 17:00 keeps the walk comfortable and the light on the whitewashed walls at its most photogenic.

The feast days of Saint Gerasimus (16 August and 20 October) are the occasions when a chapel like this is most likely to be unlocked and active. A local family may hold a small liturgy and a simple meal (trapezi) afterward. If you happen to encounter this, it is respectful to acknowledge the gathering and, if invited, to accept a small portion of the food offered — this is an expression of Greek hospitality tied to religious custom.

Spring (April–May) and early autumn (September–October) offer the most temperate conditions for exploring the island's interior chapels on foot or by scooter, with comfortable temperatures and far fewer visitors than the peak summer weeks.

Tips for Visiting

• Dress modestly before approaching. Shoulders and knees should be covered when entering any Orthodox chapel. A light scarf or sarong packed in a bag takes up no space and covers the basics.
• Never move or handle icons or liturgical objects inside. The items inside an active chapel are in use and are treated with reverence by the community that maintains them.
• Lighting a candle is welcome if the chapel is open. A small metal box near the candles is typically provided for a voluntary coin offering. This is a customary act, not a fee.
• Photograph the exterior freely; ask permission before photographing the interior. If a caretaker or family member is present, a simple gesture toward your camera and a questioning look is usually understood across the language barrier.
• Don't expect consistent opening hours. Rural Mykonian chapels open for specific liturgies and feast days, not on a fixed daily schedule. Plan to appreciate the exterior and consider any interior access a welcome bonus.
• Combine with other interior sites. Ano Mera village, a short drive from this part of the island, contains the important Monastery of Panagia Tourliani, which does have more regular visiting hours and gives fuller context for Mykonian religious architecture.
• Carry water. The interior of the island has no cafés or shops along quiet rural roads. Even a short detour from the main road warrants a water bottle in warm months.
• Respect any private land around the chapel. Some rural chapels on Mykonos stand within or adjacent to private farmland. Stay on the footpath or road verge.

About the Saint

Saint Gerasimus is one of the most venerated saints in the Greek Orthodox tradition, particularly in the Ionian islands. Born in Trikala, central Greece, around 1509, he became a wandering monk who spent years in the Holy Land and on Mount Athos before eventually settling on Kefalonia, where he lived as an ascetic in a cave and later founded the Monastery of the New Jerusalem. He died in 1579 and was canonised shortly after. His relics, kept at the monastery on Kefalonia, are credited with numerous miracles and draw pilgrims from across Greece.

His two feast days — 16 August and 20 October — are major celebrations on Kefalonia, but chapels dedicated to him across the Greek islands share in the observance at a more intimate, community scale. On Mykonos, as elsewhere in the Cyclades, a chapel bearing his name keeps his memory present in the local religious landscape, tended by families who may have Ionian ancestry or who simply chose the saint as a patron.

In iconographic tradition, Gerasimus is depicted in black monastic robes with a white kamilavka (the cylindrical monastic hat), often holding a cross. The cave of his ascetic life on Kefalonia is a recurring motif in icons painted for chapels dedicated to him.