Church of Panagia Glykofiloussa (Panagia of Petra)

On the northwestern side of Lesvos, at the village of Petra, the characteristic building is the Holy Church of Panagia Glykofiloussa (Virgin Mary, sweet kissing). Hundreds of believers, each year, climb the 114 steps to visit the church and pray to Virgin Mary. Built on the top of the rock, at a height of 40 meters, Panagia of Petra, as it is also known, dominates for centuries like an impregnable fortress and provides a unique panoramic view of the area.

At the interior survive rare Byzantine icons and a wooden-carved diocesan throne of exceptional beauty. At the same location it is rumored that there was a smaller church from the 15th century while in the 17th century a larger church with cells was built there.

The church is an important pilgrimage of the island and numerous people comes here in the service of Good Friday and the Epitaph procession that follows.

The church celebrates on the 15th of August.

At a small distance from the church of Panagia is the holy church of Agios Nikolaos. This is a small beautiful church near the huge platanus tree of the village. Architecturally it belongs to the type of aisleless basilica and dates from the 17th century. Among its wall paintings the one that stands out is, perhaps the only depiction in a church, the moment when Judas hangs himself.