The Ceonobic Monastery of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Pendeli
was founded in 1578 by Bishop Timotheos of Evripou (Evia), the memory of which
honors our Church on 16 August. The Monastery is located roughly 18 kilometers
from the center of Athens and is built in the Southern side of Pendeliko
Mountain at altitude of around 430 meters.
The Holy Monastery from its founding until the end of the Turkish
occupation was under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
During this time, Abbot Ierotheos of Pendeli Monastery travelled to Constantinople where he was able to secure the Stavropegaic
merit of the Monastery from Patriarch Jeremias the B' (1572-1595) with a sigil,
which unfortunately has not been recovered. A renewal of the Patriarchal privilege
was granted by a second sigil from Patriarch Dionysius D' of Constantinople in
the year 1678. In 1858 the Monastery came under the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Church
of Athens. The Sultans occasionally offered various firmans that guaranteed the
privileges and the rights of the Monastery, though these firmans were often abolished
resulting in continued pillages. Many were the times that the Holy Monastery bore
witness to pillages such as during the fall of Athens to Morozini (1688-1690)
and another that took place during the battles for independence against the Turks
in 1821, were the pillage was the result of the Holy Monastery's contribution
to the efforts for the independence of the nation.
In 1692 with a Patriarchal sigil the Monastery was amalgamated along
with the Holy Monastery
of Ntaou Pendeli and the Holy
Monastery of Saint Nicholas Kalision. Today, however they are once again independent.
In 1778 the holy Monastery constituted the shelter for the residents
of Athens, which along with their
Metropolitan Gabriel of Athens remained on the grounds of the Monastery
in order to avoid a horrible epidemic of plague which decimated a large part of
population of Athens. These citizens were cared for by the Monastery for roughly
two years.
The Holy Monastery was renovated in the year 1768 and in 1858 the
building was extended in order to accommodate approximately 120 monks. During
the time of Abbot Cyrillos B’ the main Church was repaired and decorated. Today
in the Monahologio (a list of Monks serving the Monastery) of the Monastery there
are 58 monks and hieromonks registered, 17 monks reside permanently in the Monastery
and 1 is a postulant. The Monastery also includes monuments of significant traditional
and historical value such as the Museum of the Monastery and the Main Church or Catholicon.
