Convent of St. Gerasimos in Omala

This convent is the unofficial center of religious life on the island as the convent is attached to a spacious church dedicated to Kefalonia’s patron saint, St. Gerasimos. Accounts of his life revere St. Gerasimos as a healer, a teacher, and a man who generally promoted peace. The convent at the foot of Mt. Aenos was established in the 1560’s by St. Gerasimos himself following the repeated requests of the locals. The saint’s relics have been preserved and are exhibited for public worship on St. Gerasimos’ feast days on the 16th of August and the 20th of October, attracting visitors from all over the world, Greeks and foreigners alike.