The monastery of Agios Ioannis Kapsa is built 9 km east of Makris Gialos, west of the gorge of the Perovollakis. It is a double cave temple dedicated to St. John the Baptist and the Holy Trinity.
The monastery buildings are on four levels and include cells, a hostel, a bank, a galley, an oven, warehouses and a large water reservoir for storm water collection.
Also impressive is the surrounding area of the monastery, as it is surrounded by large and small caves.
Saint Joseph Gerontogiannis and the monastery of Kapsa
We do not know the exact time of the monastery, but we know that the monastery in its present form was built on an older monastery. It is said that the monastery of Kapsa was rebuilt by Joseph Joseph Gerontogiannis, who connected his name to both the monastery and the wider region.
Saint Joseph Gerontogiannis, or John the Baptist, was born in 1799 in one of the cells of the ruined monastery where his parents Emmanuel and Zambia had gone to protect themselves from the Turkish raids. When the situation calm settled in the village Lithines.
John grew up, married Kalliopi, from the family of Gerontakides and together they had three children. Due to his unpalatable character he was hunted by the Turks and ended up living with his family in the Pervolaki gorge.
One day, they left their children alone and went to the nearby villages of the area. When they returned they saw the debilitated body of their little daughter Irene. John considered the death of his daughter a divine punishment and turned to the way of God for the sake of remission of sins.
According to the local tradition, at the age of 42 he fell into a deep sleep of 43 hours and when he awoke happy and peaceful, he saw a crowd around him and a paralyzed old lady who reached out his hand, whispering to her ear and then healing. His miracle soon became known, and so many people were heading to see him.
The Turks again did not see Gerontogiannis in good spirits, and for this reason he found himself in the house of a Greek in Sitia until the Turkish commander decided for his fortune. But the governor's child grew heavily, and John healed him, leaving him free and in gratitude to give him many gifts.
Gerontogiannis, listening to the advice of the bishop of Iera and Sitia Hilarion, to avoid a new incident with the Turks who still did not see him with good eyes, left the village and settled in 1841 in the desolated Kapsa Monastery, where he began to restores.
In the monastery are the remains of Saint.