In the historical community of Agiou Vissariona (230 m. el.) we arrive
either by following the street that leads to that from
Filyra,
through a most beautiful meadow, or from the side of
Pyli's
that is hardly two kilometres far. The village owes his old name "Dousiko" in
an endemic of the place species of oak with the (slavic) name Dousko or Douskari.
The first resident of the village appears registered in the community's
male records since 1832, when it was under Douskar's courthouse. Dousiko,
built near the Portaikos river, has very healthy climate, which its 1.100 residents
enjoy (in the winter - they are increased to 1280 in the summertime), farmers
and cattle-breeders, but also "petrades" (builders of the stone) - and
along with them the seasonal visitors. In a small distance from the village is
found the forest "Lakka of Stefani's" and the breeding area of preys
of Koziaka.
The nearest crowns of
Koziaka
are Krania (1.100 m.) and Fourketsa (500 m.). A watermill, Nizeros, is saved 2
km from the village as well as the fountains Psilles Vrises, Giannaki Vrisi and
Gabriel Vrisi. The latter is connected with the village with an old path, in all
the length of which one meets stone manufactures. Beautiful area for relaxation,
where the residents go at the 1st of May, is the meadow Dara.
The village was connected with the famous abbey of the Savior of the
Big Pylon, which is found in a distance of 5 km from there, going up in altitude
of 750 m. in the Koziaka's slopes. The monastery was re-established between 1527
- 1535 by Agjos Vissarionas,
Larissa's
archbishop, when the Saint was exarch of Stagon.
In the place of the church that Agjos Vissarionas built with the help
of his brother Ignatios, it was built on pedestals in 1557 the today's catholic
of the abbey from Larissa's Metropolite Neofyto the 2nd and the bishops of Dimitriados
Joseph, Litza Louka and Torch Torture (as the ktitoric sign witnesses). The catholic,
which is honoured in the name of Metamorphosis of the Savior, follows the mount
athos type of cruciate four - pillar, with two (today) domes and slots in its
northern and southern side. Its hagiography was done by a painter from
Constantinople,
Georgy. The woodcut temple is ulterior, in 1813. The once rich monastery with
the 365 cells and the rich library, which became an intellectual centre of the
newer Hellenism, functions today with few monks that look after its heirlooms.
Among them are also the saint's scull, the will with his autographic signature,
the stick and the vestments of Agios Vissarionas.
The grave of the Saint is saved in the Community cemetery, while in
the village the local show the place of his house and the monastery dependency
of the abbey. In 1823 the monastery was destroyed and the 2000 volumes of its
library were burned by the Albanians of P. Kortzia. In 1943 the monastery suffered
new destructions from a fire. Agjos Vissarionas celebrates in the feast of Saint
Spirit and in the memory of the Saint from whom it took its current name, on 14
September. In Agiou Vissariona's Eve the residents of the village go up in the
monastery for adoration and spend all night there for the celebration of the Saint.
