The Holy Cross is not known when it was built. According to tradition, it is ‘milk-built,’ meaning that milk was used instead of water for its construction. Its founder had committed a crime, a murder, without his will, and fulfilling his vow, to atone for his great sin, he built the Holy Cross.

Worth mentioning is its beautiful iconostasis, made by local craftsmen. This iconostasis was transferred from the old church of Saint John in Marmaketo. It is unknown whether it was sold or donated to the church. It celebrates on September 14th and is located at an altitude of 985 meters.

The Nísimos Plateau is located 55 kilometers southeast of Heraklion, at an altitude of 890 meters. The name ‘Nísimos’ most likely originates from the name of Onesimus, a disciple of the Apostle Paul, and there may have been an older church dedicated to him. The plateau is uninhabited today, and the only things one encounters are the little churches of the Holy Cross, which stands above the village of Tzermiadó, and of Saint Ariadne, the only church in Greece dedicated to the saint with her ancient Minoan name.

In the Nísimos Plateau, tall vegetation is almost nonexistent, with the exception of a few trees, while the surrounding mountains are completely bare, making the rocky landscape very rugged. Together with the other part of Limnákaro, they represent the most authentic Cretan landscapes, next to the large Lasithi Plateau. Saint Ariadne celebrates on September 18th.