During the revolution of 1821*, Crete rebelled as well and many armed people from the ‘nine villages’, including residents of Vlatos and ‘Karydaki’, went to Kasteli to help its residents fight the Turkish people. Indeed, the Greeks entered Kasteli and conquered the fortress, which was full of Turkish soldiers. At that time, an epidemic of plague had appeared and the vast majority of the Turkish of the fortress had died of it. The locals started the loot without knowing that the Turks suffered from the plague. Thus, when the Turkish conquered Kasteli and the fortress again, the residents of Vlatos and ‘Karydaki’, had to leave, taking the plague with them to their houses, together with the loot. ‘Karydaki’ was the place where this terrible disease literally nested and managed to completely destroy it. It was then, that many neighbourhoods of Vlatos were also ruined: ‘Saint Konstantinos’, ‘Vathyrima’, ‘Tsikalospito’ and ‘Tsikniarospito’.

‘In the end, there were only four people left alive. Every day, they buried one or two. Nobody who lived in Vlatos dared to go close to ‘Karydaki’. Every day, one resident was going until ‘Lakoudia’ neighbourhood, calling the people from ‘Karydaki’. Someone answered: ‘three of us are still alive!’ or ‘Michalis died yesterday’. 2 days later, someone from the south part of the village went back and called them. The voice of the last one left alive, Antonis, was barely heard: ‘I’m the only one left, I buried all of them, me, the ill-fated! Only when you call my name and not hear me speak, will you know that I am dead as well. None of you should come here, though. Don’t you dare bury me. The plague will devastate you all.’ The next day, two relatives of his, went close to ‘Karydaki’. They called and called but they received no response. Then, they realized Antonis was dead as well.

They returned to the village with the bad news. Antonis, the last resident of Karydaki died as well as the others. They had some meetings to discuss what they should do and the majority believed that nobody should go back there. However, despite the danger, four residents of the south part of the village decided to go to ‘Karydaki’ and bury the unfortunate man. They digged a hole in the ground near the church of Saint George and then they cut some wood in the shape of hooks. They used the hooks to pull the man on some wooden board and then, by pulling the board with the hooks, they drew him close to the hole and buried him, without touching him. They prayed and quickly ran away without telling anything to anybody, to avoid creating further fears.