Monastery of Dormition of the Virgin Makellaria

At the top of a steep barren hill over river Selinounta, south of the village Lapanagoi of Kalavryta, is one of the oldest church of the Peloponnese. It is dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin and initially was called Panagia Lithariotissa. For the origin of the name Makellaria various views have been set forth, with the most prevalent one being the one connecting it with the massacre (Italian. macellioà massacre) of the monks and the people who sought refuge to the areas of the monastery, at the time when the area was captured by the Ottomans in 1458.

The monastery was founded in 532 by Belisarius, general of emperor Justinian, as it is mentioned to a more recent inscription that survives at the narthex of the catholicon, possibly in his effort to atone for the slaughter of the insurgents during the Nika riots, which took place in Constantinople in the same year. Its initial location was under the rock it stands today. After its destruction, in 1458, it was rebuilt on the top of the rock, where according to tradition, they found the icon of Virgin Mary. The monastery was destroyed in 1770, during the Orlov Revolt, and was reconstructed by the monk Neophytos in 1784. It was a men’s monastery and since 2011 it became operational again as a women’s monastery this time.

The monastery has two churches, built next to one another. The initial catholicon of the Dormition is a small one-aisled, barrel vaulted basilica. The second church is larger, dedicated to Holy Trinity, and dates from the 16th century. In front of the beautiful wood-carved screen where the icon of the Virgin Mary dominates, for which it is said that it seems to stare at the visitors whenever he may be standing. The monastery keeps weapons of the fighters who defended successfully against Ibrahim in 1827, as well as a jar with olive oil, which was found during the creation of the foundations and is considered miraculous.

The monastery possesses hostels for accommodating visitor. It celebrates on the 15th and the 23rd of August.