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After the eighth century, the Orthodox administration of Crete fell under a number of diverse forces. In mid ninth century, Crete was occupied by Arabs under an emirate whose capital was Candia, today Heraklion, and was separated from the Eastern Roman Empire and the [[Church of Constantinople]] for the next 150 years. Little is known of church life during this period. The Ecumenical Patriarchate continued to consecrate bishops for Crete, but these hierarchs maintained residence outside Crete with titular titles.
The general Nikephoros Phokas [[Nicephorus II Phocas|Nicephorus Phocas]] regained control of Crete for the Eastern Roman Empire in 961 under whose administration it would remain until the Venetian invasion of 1204. Candia remained the capital of Crete and became the seat of the Archbishop of Crete. Under the administration of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the church on Crete was designated a [[metropolis]] with its head a [[Metropolitan]] who was over twelve bishops. A new [[cathedral]] was built in Candia, dedicated again to the Apostle Titus. The site of this cathedral is believed to be that on which the present day Church of the Apostle Titus is located. The names of Elias in the eleventh century, John in the twelfth century, and Nicholas are mentioned as metropolitans. With the Venetian occupation of 1204, Nicholas fled to [[Nicea]], with bishops Gregory of Petra and John of Arcadia. Bishop Paul of Knossos and the unidentified bishops of Herronissos and Agrion remained on Crete.
The Venetian occupation of Crete lasted from 1204 to 1669. During this time the ecclesiastical state of affairs changed radically. The Venetians exiled the Orthodox hierarchs and reorganized the church on the Latin model as an archdiocese with an Roman Catholic archbishop and [[bishop]]s. While the new hierarchy attempted to convert the populous, they remained firm in their Orthodox faith even without Orthodox bishops. The Orthodox faith was sustained by the many [[monastery|monasteries]] with their [[abbot]]s and simple [[clergy]] in the villages and towns.
During the period of Turkish rule, the Ecumenical Patriarchate used its position within the [[Ottoman empire]] to help the Church in Crete by bringing many of the monasteries under the protection of the Patriarchate as stavropigial institutions. This practice began under the first metropolitan under Turkish rule, Neophitos Patellaros, who from 1654 transferred many of the largest and most wealthy monasteries including Arcadi, Arsanios, Holy Trinity of Tzagarolon, Holy Virgin of Gdernetos, Chrissopigis, and Jerusalem of Malevizi.
As agitation for Greek independence gained popular support, the people of Crete revolted against the Turks. In retaliation on [[June 24]], 19211821, the Turks conducted a massacre in Herkalion that is remembered by the populace as ‘’o megalos arpentes’’ (the great ravage). Among the victims were Metropolitan Gerasimos Pardalis, and five of his bishops: Neofitos of Knossos, Joachim of Herronissos, Ierotheos of Lambis, Zacharias of Sitia and Kallinikos, and the titular bishop of Diopolis. The [[see]] of metropolitan remained vacant for the next two years until the sultan consented, in 1823, to the consecration of Kallinikos of Anchialos as the Metropolitan of Crete. At the same time the bishopric of Knossos was abolished and became part of the metropolis.
During the time of Metropolitan Meletios A’ Nikoletakis (1830 to 1834) the structure of the Metropolis changed greatly. Bishoprics were merged to make five bishoprics. In 1862, the bishoprics were re-established as before except that Knossos remained part of the metropolis. Later, Metropolitan Dionissios Chanritonides began construction of a new, larger Cathedral of St. Minas. This cathedral was completed and consecrated under the last metropolitan to rule under Turkish rule: Timotheos Kastringannakis (1870 to 1898). The consecration took place on [[April 18]], 1895.
After being freed of Turkish rule the status and structure of the metropolis was settled under the civil laws of Crete of 1900 and 1961. Under these laws, the bishopric of Herronissos was permanently made part of the Metropolis of Crete, and the metropolitan was elected by the Ecumenical Patriarchate with confirmation by a decree of the Greek State. In 1962, by action of the Ecumenical Patriarchate all the bishops of Crete were raised to the dignity of metropolitan. This action was followed by a decree of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on [[February 28]], 1967 making the Metropolis of Crete an Archdiocese whose ruling bishop was an Archbishop.
==Structure and current hierarchs of the archdiocese==
Archdiocese of Crete
:Irinaios of Crete
[[Metropolis of Gortyna and Arcadia]]
:[[Makarios (Douloufakis) of Gortyna and Arcadia|Makarios of Gortyni and Arcadia]]
Metropolis of Rethymnon and Avlopotamos
:Evgenios of Rethymnon and Avlopotamos
Metropolis of Kydonia and Apokoronon
:Damaskinos of Kydonia and Apokoronon
Metropolis of Lampe, Sybritos and Sfakia
:Irinaios of Lampe, Syvritos and Sfakia
Metropolis of Ierapytni and Siteia
:Eugene of Ierapytni and Siteia
Metropolis of Petra and Cherronisos
:Nektarios of Petra and Cherronisos
Metropolis of Kisamon and Selinon
:Amphilochios of Kisamon and Selinon
Metropolis of Arkalochori, Kastelli and Viannos
:Andrew of Arkalochori, Kastelli and Viannos
==SourceSources==
*[http://www.orthodoxresearchinstitute.org/articles/church_history/detorakis_brief_historical_review.htm Brief Historical Review of the Holy Archdiocese of Crete]
*[http://www.ec-patr.org/dioceses.php?lang=en&id=70 Church of Crete]
[[Category: Jurisdictions]]
[[Category:Ecumenical Patriarchate Dioceses|Crete]]
