The Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Skopelos Greece
This holy Monastery was founded in 1612 by priestmonk Simeon and it is dedicated to the Birth of Saint John the Baptist (24 June). Originally, it was directly depended on the Ecumenical Patriarchate (Stavropigiaki) and it was a men’s monastery to which the access of women was prohibited.
It was renovated in 1721, as demonstrated by the date on the lintel of the Church, by abbot Filaretos. It was destroyed by earthquakes and lighting strikes in the early 19th century and was rebuilt with the assistance of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
At its prime, the Monastery had 3 metochia* located on the island of Skopelos: the first in the area of “Kalogeros”, the second in “Glossa” and the third in “Elios”. Furthermore, the church of Panagia Eleftherotria in the area of “Marmaro” was also a metochion of it. It possessed an oil mill and a water mill. After 1821, the Monastery was gradually deserted.
Subsequently, by the Bavarian anti-ecclesiastical law in 1834 more than 400 monasteries were dissolved and this monastery had the same fortune. The few fathers that resided in the monastery were removed, the monastery’s property was confiscated and then plundered by the powerful of the time. The last Bishop of Skopelos, Eugene Oikonomou, barely managed to salvage a few holy texts and sacred relics and preserve them in the cathedral of Christ’s Nativity.
In 1868 the archbishop of Chalkis, Kallinikos Kambanis, “requested from the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs to restore the monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Skopelos, which owned the metochia of Saint Reginos Monastery and the Zoodochos Pigi Monastery” on the desert island of Piperi.
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| Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Skopelos, Greece |
In 1894 a new thriving period followed for the Monastery, with the establishment at the Monastery of Elder Sofronios Kehagioglou from Raidestos of Thrace, a Theologian from the Theological School of Halki in Constantinople, who had previously practiced asceticism in the Kafsokalyvia of Mount Athos and had served for a while as Abbot in the Monastery of the Annunciation of Virgin Mary on the island of Skiathos.
Elder Sofronios overhauled the abandoned Holy Monastery, cultivated the surrounding estates, planted a vast vineyard (which produced the famous "broussiko" wine known as "Prodromitiko"), and most importantly, made the monastery a center of spiritual edification by putting together a monastic brotherhood, who initially resided in the Monastery of Saint Barbara. Elder Sofronios was also a personal friend of Saint Nektarios, and in fact the Saint had expressed the desire to join the Elder here in this holy Monastery. What is more, the letters of the Saint to the Elder Sofronios are salvaged. The Elder deceased in 1934 at the age of 95.
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| Saint John the Baptist Monastery in Skopelos, Greece |
Afterwards, the women's fraternity from Saint Barbara was transferred to the Monastery which continued to function as a women's monastery under Abbess Xeni Galatsanou (+1980) and then Abbess Xeni Skougou (+2008).
The monastery was hit by the devastating earthquake of 1963, so interventions were made with modern materials that are evident, and rectifying interventions were left incomplete due to lack of resources.
Nowadays, the Monastery has a male fraternity and the main work performed at the monastery is the iconography of Byzantine icons.
We welcome you to the Monastery and wish that with the Saint's appeals, the Lord's Grace always be with you.
Nowadays, the Monastery is home to a male brotherhood and the main work of the Monastery is the iconography of Byzantine icons.
*Metochion: A parish representation or dependency of a monastery or a patriarch.
Byzantine icon workshop
Photos of st.John's the Baptist Monastery in Skopelos
Video of st.John's the Baptist Monastery in Skopelos
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| Iconography of Byzantine icons. |
Contact
Tel: +30 2424 770532
E-mail: prodromosskopelou@gmail.com
