The old historical Holy
Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi of Poros is located 4km east of the main city of Poros
island and is built on the slope of a pine forest.
It was
founded in 1720 a.d. by the Archbishop of Athens Iakovos
(Jacob) the 2nd, who, suffering from lithiasis, was miraculously
cured, after drinking from the holy water springing near
the Holy Monastery.
In 1733 a.d. the Patriarch of Constantinopolis
Paisios the 2nd recognises it as a monastery under the
Patriarch's jurisdiction. The act gives it a lot of privileges.
Later on, in 1798 a.d., Patriarch Grigorios (Gregory)
the 5th, with a sigillion (officially sealed document),
which
is safely kept in the quest quarters (Archondariki) of
the Holy Monastery, ratifies the Patriarch Paisios's
the 2nd document, related to the privileges of the Monastery.
The Monastery's offer (financial,
social and spiritual)
to the Greek Liberation War in 1821
was invaluable.
The
first Governor of the liberated Greece Ioannis Kapodistrias
as well as the great warriors in land
and sea Miaoulis, Tompazis, Apostolis, Boudouris,
Drosinos, got strenght from their beloved monastery, praying
in front
of the holy icon of the Mother of God of Zoodochos
Pigi monastery.
In 1828, in the establishments of the
Holy
Monastery, Ioannis Kapodistrias founded the first
orphanage of the
liberated Greek nation for the
orphans
of the warriors
of the war for freedom.
180 orphans were sheltered
in
the monastery, which took full care of them.
In 1830,
the first
Eclesiastical School, in the eastern wing of the
Monastery, was founded by I. Kapodistrias, with 15
students.
The
Governor's vision was to provide the new born state
with educated
clergymen, willing to work for its spiritual support.
The Holy Monastery became a source of spiritual comfort
for
many believers and other religious people.
In 1814,
a group of monks from Mount Athos, called "Kollyvades",
took refuge in this Monastery.
A few years later, these
monks founded
the Zoodochos Pigi Monastery at Longovarda in this island
of Paros.
In 1821, monks from another monastery of Mount
Athos also sought refuge in this monastery in order to
keep in safety the sacred and valuable articles of their
monastery and the Holy Relic of Saint John
the Baptist.
In this monastery also, in the beginning of the 20th
century, Saint Nectarios, a saint of our times, stayed
for a couple
of months as well as other holy ascetic people, who sanctified
the place with their prayers and priritual struggles.
THE MAIN CHURCH (KATHOLIKO)
Katholiko, that is the main church of the
monastery, is a bacilica with a dome and a tower
like belfry.
In both sides of the vestibule of the church there are
the tombs of the heroic admirals of the
Liberation War of Greece Manolis Tombazis, from Hydra island
nad Nikolaos
Apostolis, from Psara island.
Inside the church there is
an excellent iconostasis (templo) of exquisite
craft. It
was propably
made in Asia Minor, it is five meters high, curved on lime-wood
and plated with gold.
Its great height and its bending
surface towards the main part of the church, help to the
excellent acoustics of the building.
On the right of the
iconostasis the household icon of Panagia, the
Zoodochos Pigi (the life-giving spring),
is placed. The old Byzantine icon is dated in 1650 a.d.
It is a masterpiece of Byzantine art.
Around the main figure
of the Mother of God, many miracles that Her Grace worked
are depicted.
In front of the icon there is a silver
oil lamp, in which a vigil light is burning, as a token
of gratitude for the miracle worked by the Mother of God
in 1990.
After a long period of rainlessness, Panagia listened
to the prayers of monks and priests and it rained.
Opposite
to the icon of Panagia and on the left of the "templo" there
is an icon of the Mother of God painted by the Italian
painter and doctor
Raphael
Tsecoli (1849 a.d.).
The icon shows Panagia holding the
Holy Infant Jesus and a sceptre.
This icon was donated
to the Monastery by Tsecoli out of gratitude because his
daughter, Archia Tsecoli, who finally died of tuberculosis
in 1847, was hosted and cured at the monastery.
Tsecoli
has given his daughter's lineaments to the face of Panagia
and little Jesus.
In the lower part of the icon, Tsecoli
painted the Monastery, protected by the Mother of God.
On
the left side of the church, near the entrance, there is
also a small, miracle-working icon of
great value, placed on a wood-engraved stand.
It is called
Panagia the Amolyntos (Mother of God, the Immaculate),
dated in 1590 and is decorated with a gold-and-silver-plated
cover.
It is called "Evresis", because it was
found in the woods. It was offered by monk Zosimas.
On the
western wass of the church, the icon of Christ
Pantocrator (the All-Mighty God) is hung,
made with excellent craftsmanship (1780).
According to tradition,
there are two more icons offered by the admirals Basilios
Boudouris and Andreas
Miaoulis.
It is said that Miaoulis had a gold-and-silver-plated
icon of Panagia Zoodochos Pigi with him, in his battle
ship "Aris".
He had it hung on the ship's bridge
and he often prayed in front of it during the sea-lights.
On
the outer south wall of the main church a sundial is attached.
It is the work of a priest-monk
named Galaction Galatis, who was prior of the Monastery.
The
Holy Monastery comes under the notice of the Holy Metropolis
of Hydra, Spetses, Aegina, Hermionis
and Trizinia. It numbers 17 registered monks.
Three of
them reside permantely in the Monastery and, apart from
their duties as monks, they offer social and spiritual
help to the people of the wider territory of the local
church.
