To the north of the village of
Aghio
Pnevma and facing the
Holy
Cross Monastery high up on a pine wooded hill, stands the Prophet Elijah Holy
Monastery. The first temple was built in 1900 but over the time it was destroyed.
Today's Katholikon is built according to the techniques used at
Athos,
while only two walls of the original are preserved.
In 1990 a group of Nuns endeavored to found an organized Women’s
Monastery restoring the ruins and building new edifices, that resulted in its
present form. Today the Monastery houses 18 Nuns who deal with gold embroidered
handicrafts, hagiography etc.). For the moment there is no possibility fro organized
tourist groups to spend the night. The Chapel of Blessed Virgin Myrtidiotissa
houses the miracle-working icon of Our Lady.
Administratively, together with the
Our
Lady Visiani and
Holy
Cross Monasteries, the Monastery belongs to the
Holy
Metropolis of Serres. Its feast day is on 20 July to commemorate Prophet Elijah
(important festivities) and on 24 September to commemorate Our Lady Myrtidiotissa.
This text (extract) is cited September 2003 from the Prefecture
of Serres tourist pamphlet.
