Agios Ioannis in the Rouvas Forest

In one of Crete’s must-visit locations, the Rouvas Forest, lies a chapel with a remarkable history: Agios Ioannis Prodromos (Saint John the Baptist), celebrated on September 23rd.

Every year, the site hosts commemorative events in honor of the national martyr Giorgos Pentheroudakis (also known as Tsakalos), who was brutally killed by the Ottomans. In the churchyard, you’ll find his grave and a memorial dedicated to his significant legacy, with inscriptions detailing his heroic journey.

The Rouvas Forest also served as a refuge for prominent leaders and warriors from Sfakia who had escaped from the Koules fortress in Heraklion, where they had been imprisoned by the Ottomans. Weak from hunger and hardship, they were trapped in the area during a fierce snowstorm and ultimately perished.

It was in this same rugged landscape that Giorgos Pentheroudakis (or Tsakalos), originally from Rodakino and a resident of Koumi in Rethymno, heroically fought and fell. His bravery and sacrifice remain deeply etched in Crete’s history, making Agios Ioannis and its surroundings a place of profound significance.