George Tsigaras Source: C.E.T.I. © Region of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace

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Location: The monastery is located in the valley of Maries at the southwest part of the island, 6.5 kilometres far from Skala, Maries. It celebrates on August 15th (Dormition of Theotokos) and on February 10th (Aghios Charalambos).
History: According to local tradition, the foundation of the monastery is associated with a miracle performed by Panaghia. It is said that when the ill wife of the agha was cured due to a miracle performed by Panaghia, he allowed the inhabitants to build a church in her honour. It is a monk monastery. In 1974, the Metropolitan Panteleimon Calaphates of Xanthi (who was archimandrite by that time) converted the church into the monastery’s Katholikon, where he officiated as the head hegumenos. The monastery was officially founded in 1976, when the construction works begun.
The Katholikon: According to the founding inscription, it was built in 1813, over an old sacred fountain, at the place where an icon of Panaghia was found. It is a stone-built, three-aisled basilica with dimensions of 16.5 X 9 m, having a propylon, a roofed balcony, and a slated roof without a narthex.
The significant icons of the iconostasis date back to the 19th century.
The interior is decorated with wall paintings made by a painter still unknown. Among the most interesting representations are those belonging to the series of the Akathist Hymn as well as the depiction of Aghios Ioannis of Maries (1638-1652), a local neomartyr who died on December 20th, 1652 in Constantinople.
Âéâëéïãñáößá: Ó. ÐÁÓ×ÁËÉÄÇÓ – Ä. ÓÔÑÁÔÇÓ, Ôá ìïíáóôÞñéá ôçò Ìáêåäïíßáò, ôüì. Á’, ÁíáôïëéêÞ Ìáêåäïíßá, Èåóóáëïíßêç 1996• ÌÏÍÁÓÔÇÑÉÁ ÔÇÓ ÅÃÍÁÔÉÁÓ ÏÄÏÕ, Ðïëéôéóôéêüò – Ôïõñéóôéêüò Ïäçãüò, (Äñüìïé ôïõ Ïñèüäïîïõ Ìïíá÷éóìïý), 2, ÊåíôñéêÞ êáé ÄõôéêÞ Ìáêåäïíßá ÈñÜêç – Íüôéá ðñþçí Ã. Ä. ôçò Ìáêåäïíßáò, Íüôéá Âïõëãáñßá, Õðïõñãåßï Ðïëéôéóìïý 1999.