All about Zakynthos

Saint Catherine of the Gardens was the property of Mount Sinai, she had great works of art, which have been preserved. In the past it was a monastery. It was founded in 1664 by Gregorios Theod. Savogias from Crete and later (1675) he dedicated it by notarial deed as a metochi of St. Catherine of Mount Sinai and to the local monastery of the Holy Virgin of Kipi, which was a gleebe of Sinai. Its important collections of ancient codices and rare editions were removed by sacrilegious people and are now preserved in various libraries. Its wood-carved and gilded iconostasis is the creation of the Cretan Angzouletos Tzani Mosketis. On the crown are carved snakes and mermaids with exquisite movement (1665). The doors of the iconostasis are painted by Nikolaos Kantounis. In the sanctuary there is a silver-sculpted disc, with St Catherine in the centre and rich decoration, the work of the Kalarytis silversmith Diannadis Bafas. John Varvakis and many Muscovites were buried here. In 1953 the church was severely damaged, but it was rebuilt in a crude manner and without the necessary anti-seismic care. Many of its remarkable works are kept in the Zakynthos Museum.