Panagia Krina, Byzantine church in Vaviloi Chiou, Greece

Panagia Krina is a Byzantine church near Vaviloi on Chios featuring architectural elements typical of Eastern Orthodox religious buildings. The structure displays a compact layout with characteristic details such as a central dome and narrow window openings consistent with medieval construction methods.

The date of construction is uncertain: the loss of a written date of 1287 in the south arcosolium may have concerned the church's erection, while the early 13th or late 12th century are the likely building periods. An inscription in the outer narthex, probably read as 1747, marks the addition of that narthex; until then Krina functioned as a monastery.

The name Krina may come from a spring (krene) at the site, and the church was still a working monastery in 1747, when the monk Ioakeim, as abbot, built the outer narthex. Look for the donor scene in the narthex, where a figure offers a model of the church to the Virgin; the donor's portrait no longer survives.

The church is located about one kilometer beyond the Vavylos settlement on the road toward Sklavia and is reachable on foot. The surroundings are rural, so visitors should wear sturdy footwear and bring water, especially during warmer months.

The church replicates the architectural form of the Katholikon of the New Monastery of Chios, a major site in island building traditions. This design feature shows how religious architectural models from important monasteries were adapted into smaller church structures.