The tiny triple-aisled Church of Panagia Kera, 1km northeast of Kritsa, contains the finest Byzantine frescoes in Crete. The oldest part of the church is the 13th-century central nave, but most of the frescoes date from the early to mid-14th century. The dome and nave are decorated with four gospel scenes: the Presentation, the Baptism, the Raising of Lazarus and the Entry into Jerusalem. On the western wall is a portrayal of the Crucifixion and grimly realistic depictions of the Punishment of the Damned.
The vault of the southern aisle recounts the life of the Virgin; the northern aisle is an elaborately worked-out fresco of the Second Coming. Nearby is an enticing depiction of Paradise next to the Virgin and the Patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Judgement Day is portrayed on the western end, with the Archangel Michael trumpeting the Second Coming.
