Monastery of Panagia Faneromeni

At a pine-tree area, 3 km from Chiliomodi, is the Monastery of Faneromeni, which is dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary.

Initially it was higher, approximately at a distance of 4 km from the present day monastery, at a location with excellent view of the surrounding area up to Acrocorinth. From the old monastery the catholicon of the 13th century survives, with the beautiful but worn out wall paintings, but also the half ruined buildings of the cells. During the Revolution of 1821 the monastery contributed significantly both materially and intellectually, it was a refuge for the civilians of the area, and a place where the chieftains prayed, like Kolokotronis and Nikitaras. In 1854 the monastery suffered a lot of damages due to an earthquake and in 1896 the brotherhood of monks was transferred lower, to the new monastery, which was founded in the 16th century and until then it was the metochi of the old one. Then they transferred to their original location the screen of the first church and the icon of the Virgin Mary carrying baby Jesus. In 1949 the monastery was renovated and was converted into a women’s monastery.

The catholicon is cross-in-square church with a dome supported on two columns and date from 1896, since then it was renovated, when the monastery was transferred. At its interior survives the elaborate old wooden-carved screen of the 17th century, which is decorated with representations from the Old and the New Testament, as well as the icon of Theotokos Faneromeni, which is considered the work of Luke the Evengelist. The monastery has relics, among them the holy skull of Agios Sophronius, patriarch of Jerusalem. Outside the monastery there is a small church of Agia Marina, which dates from the 16th century and has been painted by the great painter of that period, Demetrios Kakkavas.

The monastery doesn’t have any hostels. It celebrates on the 23rd of August with a three-day celebration and a procession of the icon from the old to the new monastery.

The monastery also celebrates on the 11th of March (day of Agios Sofronios), on Bright Friday (day of Zoodochos Pigi – Life Giving Source), on the 17th of July (day of Agia Marina) and on the 9th of November (day of Agios Nectarios).