Another alternative to the beach if you are for your holidays in Greece on the Rhodes island, is the Tsambika Sanctuary (the Virgin Mary of the spark), located on a small hill about three hundred meters above sea level between the Afandou village and Arcangelos in the eastern part of the island.

Just above the promontory, there is the original church where to date there is only one copy of the Holy Icon, the original has been moved further downstream to the Tsambika Sanctuary much easier to reach. The small church at the top at the beginning was a simple room reached by an impervious path and 297 difficult steps, with a terrace that overlooked the sea giving a splendid panorama. With time and thanks to devotees to religion, the terrace has been enlarged and secured and today, always accessible through a walk. On December 8, however, the original icon returns to the place of its discovery and a suggestive procession is celebrated in honor of the Virgin.

Legend has it that in the sixteenth century, a pastor with his wife who could not have children, one evening saw a sparkle over the promontory and the phenomenon repeated itself for several days. until they decided together with other villagers to go and see what shone during the night. Climbing the difficult rocky path, they discovered that the light was the reflection of a candle in front of a silver Icon of the Madonna. They decided to bring it to the village and soon the discovery reached the Cyprus island where some religious proclaimed that the icon belonged to them and that it had been stolen in some way. The population of Rhodes promptly returned the sacred icon but after some time they saw the light on the promontory again. It was returned to the Cyprus island three times but each time it miraculously returned to Rhodes, and so in the end it was decided that this was evidently the place where it had to stay and the Church of the Madonna that shines was built ( Tsambika is the literary meaning in Greek). After some time, the pastor's wife gave birth to a child and the miracle was repeated over time for all those women who, unable to have children, clambered barefoot up to the Church to ask the Madonna for grace. As a sign of gratitude for the miracle, all newborns were given the name of Tsampika if they were female and Tsampiko if they were male.

Moni Tsambika the most recent Sanctuary instead where it is much easier to arrive, presents itself at the entrance with three large white arches with a cross at the top and is located at the top of the hill above the beautiful Tsambika beach. One of the first things that affects visitors in the courtyard is a large tree with fronds that start from the ground. Going down a staircase you reach the small church with a white bell tower where inside the light is very low to be able to devote yourself to reflection and prayer.A single nave about twenty meters long with inlaid wooden furnishings and a beautiful vaulted ceiling in blue and gold with richly adorned columns and altars. The floor of black and white stones are of a spectacular visual impact. At the bottom on the right is the silver Sacred Icon of the Blessed Virgin and all around lace, drapes and tributes in gold and silver donated by devotees.

Outside where the light becomes almost blinding emphasized by the white of the Monastery, under the loggia you will find a wooden table with baskets and bottles that,  with a few euros you can fill with water considered holy that comes out of the silver container on the altar in the trees.

Certainly a mystical excursion to the Panagia (Church in Greek) of Tsampika that will leave you lighter in your soul and make you discover a place of myths and legends still very present on the Rhodes island.

We recommend that you have suitable clothing for the visit, as it is a sacred place to turn off your cell phone to avoid noises and sounds.