It is located northwest of Astros, in the area of Ancient Thyreatis, in an area scattered with antiquities. It was probably built on the site of an early Christian church of the 5th century. A.D. The catholicon belongs to the type of complex tetragonal inscribed cruciform with a dome, with frescoes of good art from the 17th century. and a floor made of colorful marble tiles. It is built in imitation of a neglected brick enclosure, with built-in ancient members and ceramic ornaments. On the iconostasis there are despotic images from the 17th century.
The first mention of the monastery is in the "Geographical" of Meletios Metropolitan of Athens (1690). In 1805 it was visited by the English traveler Leake.
For the origin of the name "Loukou" it has been assumed that:
- the monastery was dedicated to Ag. lucia,
- it received its name from the cult of Hera ("Juno Lucina"),
- due to the existence of wolves the place was named Lykos,
- it is about the Monastery of Saint Luke,
- that it is related to the Lucus Feroniae (game forest) in which the mansion of Herod Atticus etc.
At the monument, work has been carried out to re-tile the roof of the catholicon, fixing work to the two-story tower of the Monastery and maintenance work to the cells.
In the 1980s, systematic maintenance work was carried out on the painting decoration of the church. In 1994 and at the beginning of 1995, the mosaic floor of the catholicon was preserved. Today it functions as a nunnery.
The catholicon of Loukous monastery, near Astros, is the church of the Transfiguration of the Savior and its reconstruction dates back to the 11th century. It is a particularly elegant building with an impressive octagonal dome. The church's hagiographies are reminiscent of archaic Kouros, while the built-in sculptural parts from post-Roman buildings are impressive.
Source: MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND SPORTS
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