Saint Titus Church (Agios Titos) – Heraklion

The church of Agios Titos was originally built after the liberation of Crete by Nikiforos Fokas in 961 AD. During the Venetian period, it was converted into a catholic church, however, it did not lose its Byzantine character.

Both the decorations and design as well as the orthodox relics and the Byzantine icons were preserved. Significant damage seems to have occurred in 1446 by an earthquake which was repaired immediately. In 1557 it was essentially rebuilt after the great fire of 1554. During the reconstruction of 1557, the church acquired a square shape of a basilica with a dome in the centre and a bell tower in the southwest corner. During the Turkish occupation, it was turned into a mosque like all other Orthodox churches on the island. During the Ottoman Occupation, most of the relics were removed and taken to Venice for safe keeping where they remain to this day, apart from the skull of St Titus, which was returned in 1966. Another earthquake in 1856, almost destroyed it entirely and it was rebuilt from scratch according to the plans of the architect Moussis who had also designed the church of Agios Minas.

The church continued to function as a mosque until about 1922 when the great minaret was demolished. In 1925, after significant repairs and alterations, it functioned again as an Orthodox church. It would take about 700 years after the occupation of Crete by the Venetians and the Turks for the church to return to a place of worship for Orthodox Christians. Today, Agios Titos with its homonymous square is one of the most beautiful places in the city of Heraklion, with the large plane tree dominating the setting between the buildings of the Loggia and the church. Other churches in the city of Heraklion that are worth exploring are the church of Agios Minas and the church of Agios Matthaios Sinaites. Outside the city, the church of Profitis Elias is a great example of Byzantine architecture. To reach the church, take a leisurely stroll down August 25th Street that connects the port with Saint Mark’s square and passes through most of the major monuments in the city.