Georgios Tsigaras Source: C.E.T.I. © Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace

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Location: The Monastery is located in the northwest of Xanthi, at an altitude of 160 m.
History: According to tradition, the monastery of Archaggeliotissa was named after the small-dimensioned icon of Theotokos that is flanked by the Archangels and is currently kept at the monastery. There is no sufficient written reference concerning the foundation of the monastery. However, according to tradition, it dates back to the Byzantine period and it is associated with the intellectual splendour of the monk community of the neighbouring Mount Papikion. The oldest reference, according to currently known data, dates the monastery to the 12th – 13th centuries. The crypt, situated in the eastern part and below the sanctuary, dates probably to the 11th century, a fact supporting the traditional belief. It is also known that a workshop for manuscript reproduction operated from the 16th century onwards. From the 19th century until the early decades of the 20th century, during the period when the economy of Xanthi flourished, due to the cultivation and trade of tobacco, the monastery acquired significant property. The earthquakes of the year 1829 caused severe damages to the monastery complex. Metropolitan Eugenios of Xanthi helped at that time in restoring the building and the necessary cost was covered by the inhabitants and the rich tobacco merchants of Xanthi. In 1913 the Bulgarians, after occupying the area, removed the monastery’s relics and transferred them to Sofia. Currently, it is a monk monastery housing the Ecclesiastical Museum of the Metropolis of Xanthi in its east wing.
The Katholikon: The Katholikon is dedicated to the Dormition of Theotokos and celebrates on August 15th. It is a domed church erected in 1841, probably over the foundations of an earlier church of the Middle Byzantine period that seems to have imitated. Wall paintings survive in the interior of the church (second half of the 19th century). There are some interesting despotic icons on the modern iconostasis depicting Christ as the High Priest (16th century) and Theotokos Hodegetria. According to a wall inscription, the bell tower was erected in 1844.

Âéâëéïãñáöίá: ×ÑÕÓÏÓÔÏÌÏÓ ×ÁÔÆÇÓÔÁÕÑÏÕ, ÊáôÜëïãïé äýï ôùí ÷åéñïãñÜöùí ôùí åí ÎÜíèç ôçò ÈñÜêçò éåñþí åíïñéáêþí Ìïíþí Ðáíáãßáò Áñ÷áããåëéùôßóóçò êáé Ðáíáãßáò Êáëáìïýò, Âyzantinische Æeitschrift 12 (1912)· Ó. ÆÁËÉÌÉÄÇÓ, ÎÜíèç, ÎÜíèç 1959· Á. ÃÅÑÏÌÉ×ÁËÏÓ, Éùáêåßì Óãïõñüò, Ìçôñïðïëßôçò ÎÜíèçò êáé áé áðïöÜóåéò ôçò Äçìïãåñïíôßáò, Èåóóáëïíßêç 1968· Á. ÃÅÑÏÌÉ×ÁËÏÓ, Áé åðß Ôïõñêïêñáôßáò Äçìïãåñïíôßáé. Ç Äçìïãåñïíôßá ÎÜíèçò, Èåóóáëïíßêç 1973· Ð. Á. ÃÅÙÑÃÁÍÔÆÇÓ, ÓõìâïëÞ åéò ôçí éóôïñßáí ôçò ÎÜíèçò, ÎÜíèç 1976· Ó. ÊÏÊÊÉÍÇÓ, Ôá ìïíáóôÞñéá ôçò ÅëëÜäïò, Ïäçãüò-Éóôïñßá-Èçóáõñïß-Âéâëéïãñáößá, ÁèÞíá 1976· Ö. ÔÑÉÁÑ×ÇÓ, Ç ÎÜíèç äéÜ ìÝóïõ ôùí áéþíùí, Áñ÷åßïí ÈñÜêçò 39 (1976)· Ð. Á. ÃÅÙÑÃÁÍÔÆÇÓ, Ôá éåñÜ ÐñïóêõíÞìáôá ôçò ÎÜíèçò, ÎÜíèç 1980· Áñ÷éì. ÐÁÍÔÅËÅÇÌÙÍ ÌÏÕÔÁÖÇÓ, ÌïíÞ Ðáììåãßóôùí Ôáîéáñ÷þí ÎÜíèçò, óôï: ÈñçóêåõôéêÜ Ìíçìåßá óôï Íïìü ÎÜíèçò, åðéìÝëåéá: Ãåþñãéïò ×ñ. ÔóéãÜñáò, ÎÜíèç 2005.