The Monastery of Saint Gerasimos in Kefalonia is located at the foot of Omala Mountain and is the most important religious monument of the island. It was founded in 1560 by Saint Gerasimos himself who shortly after his death was proclaimed the patron saint of Kefalonia. Saint Gerasimos was canonized in 1622. He was named New Ascetic to be distinguished from Saint Gerasimos of Jordan. The Orthodox Church honors his memory on two dates in the year, that of the resurrection, on October 20, but also on August 16, one day after the Dormition and Assumption of the Virgin Mary. In both cases, a feast takes place in the monastery. The relic of the Saint is covered with his burial vestments and is placed in a silver shrine, above his tomb. Inside the church is the hermitage of Saint Gerasimos of Kefalonia. A very narrow passage leads through a three-meter almost vertical iron staircase to a basement which is divided by a narrow hole in two rooms. According to tradition, the Saint planted himself three large plane trees and opened with his own hands three wells that are still preserved in the Monastery. Saint Gerasimos was born in Trikala, Corinth and in 1506 he moved to Zakynthos –an important center for education at the time– to study. After visiting many holy places in Greece, he went to Constantinople and ended up on Mount Athos where he became a monk. He then left for the Holy Land where he remained for more than ten years and was ordained an archimandrite named Gerasimos, in honor of Saint Gerasimos of Jordan, serving the Church of the Resurrection. He toured around many countries of the Middle East and in 1548 he left Jerusalem to go to Crete. Two years later, he returned to Zakynthos and practiced asceticism in a cave in Saint Nikolas Gerakariou. In 1555, he decided to visit Kefalonia. He first practiced asceticism in a cave, in the area of Lassi in Argostoli, for more than five years. 1560 is the year that he decided to retreat to Omala, at the foot of Ainos. In the ruined chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, he founded a new nunnery called New Jerusalem. Believers from Kefalonia were already flocking to hear his sermon, while his fame was slowly spreading throughout Christendom. According to the tradition, on15August1579, Saint Gerasimos passed away. His body was buried next to the Church of the Monastery. The first resurrection took place two years later, but the Venetian authorities were not convinced of the incorruptibility of the relic, and the resurrection was repeated a year later: the result was the same and since then the relic of the Saint is kept in a silver shrine in the Monastery.