The Monastery of Saints Anargyro, the oldest monastery of Laconia, is located in a plateau of Parnonas (on the Stamatira hill), at an altitude of about a thousand meters, near the villages of Vassaras, Veria and Tsintzina.
The existence of the Monastery is already witnessed in the 9th century (881 AD), in the life of Saint Ilias the Younger or Sikeliotis. Also, an important historical testimony is the chrysobulus of the emperor Andronikos II the Palaiologos, in the year 1293, which enshrines the orotesias of the Metropolis of Monemvasia.
The founding inscription informs that the Monastery was Stavropigian while it mentions the name of the Patriarch of Kon/polis Kyrillos Loukareos.
The Catholic Church was destroyed and rebuilt during the Turkish occupation and was rebuilt in 1611. The church is a single-aisled, cruciform, dome, three-aisled and astilized church, while it has features of late Byzantine architecture. It was masterfully painted by the well-known Kakava family from Nafplio. ? the foundational inscription informs us that it was built in 1621, while it is signed by the head of the family, Dimitrios Kakavas.
From 1685, the Monastery was attacked by the Venetians (Morosini), but also by the Turks, however, despite the destruction, the Monastery managed to rebuild.
The wood-carved iconostasis is a work of 1711 certifying a period of prosperity of the Monastery.
The contribution of the Monastery to the Revolution of 1821 was special and particularly important.
In addition to the legendary function of a hidden school and the varied offer of the monastery as a refuge for the poor, persecuted and named fighters, the monks personally participate in the liberation struggle. In July 1826 Ibrahim with his army besieged and set fire to the monastery. Of his rich treasures nothing was saved. The monastery also suffered destruction and looting during the occupation, from the raid of the Nazi troops in November 1943.
The Holy Monastery celebrates the memory of Saints Anargyros Cosmas and Damianos from Asia Minor and their mother Theodotis on November 1st. But due to the difficult weather conditions during November, it also celebrates on July 1st, the feast of Saints Anargyri from Rome.
Editor: Fotini Anastasopoulou