{"id":60879,"date":"2023-09-03T07:24:11","date_gmt":"2023-09-03T04:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/greece\/one-day-excursion-to-mega-spilaio-the-oldest-monastery-in-greece\/60879\/"},"modified":"2023-10-10T07:44:54","modified_gmt":"2023-10-10T04:44:54","slug":"one-day-excursion-to-mega-spilaio-the-oldest-monastery-in-greece","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/en\/greece\/one-day-excursion-to-mega-spilaio-the-oldest-monastery-in-greece\/60879\/","title":{"rendered":"One-day excursion to Mega Spilaio: The oldest monastery in Greece"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>One-day excursion to <strong>Mega Spilaio (&#8220;<\/strong>Great Cave&#8221; in Greek<strong>) Monastery<\/strong>. Perhaps the most important pilgrimage of Orthodoxy in Greece. It is located ten kilometers northeast of <strong>Kalavryta<\/strong> and causes awe to those who see it. The <strong>monastery of Mega Spilaio<\/strong> is dedicated to the <strong>Dormition of the Virgin Mary<\/strong> and took its name from its very location. Built at the opening of a large natural cave, at 900 meters, in the mountain range of <strong>Helmos<\/strong>, above the steep ravine of <strong>Vouraikos river<\/strong>, the monastery gives an even more imposing tone to the wild natural landscape of the area where it is located.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/en\/greece\/pelion-a-fusion-of-charming-mountain-villages-and-stunning-beaches\/60506\/\">Pelion: A fusion of charming mountain villages and stunning beaches.<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>One-day excursion to Mega Spilaio Monastery<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio.jpg.webp 1050w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-300x157.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-1024x536.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-768x402.jpg.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-53422 webpexpress-processed\" src=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio.jpg\" alt=\"Mega Spilaio\" width=\"1050\" height=\"550\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-768x402.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\"><\/picture>A one-day excursion to Mega Spilaio is enough to admire the special beauties of this historic monastery. The complex has eight floors while the main church is decorated with frescoes of 1653. The ornate wood-carved<strong> iconostasis<\/strong> was built in <strong>362 AD<\/strong> by the Thessalonian brother monks, <strong>Simeon <\/strong>and<strong> Theodore<\/strong>. This is the most prevalent date of creation of the monastery, which makes it the oldest in Greece. The two brothers, who stood out for their education and piety, practiced on <strong>Mount Olympus<\/strong>, <strong>Ossa<\/strong> and <strong>Mount Athos<\/strong>, aiming to meet enlightened hesychasts. And from Mount Athos they went to the Holy Land.<\/p>\n<p><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/kalavryta-mega-spilaio.jpg.webp 1050w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/kalavryta-mega-spilaio-300x200.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/kalavryta-mega-spilaio-1024x683.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/kalavryta-mega-spilaio-768x512.jpg.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-53419 webpexpress-processed\" src=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/kalavryta-mega-spilaio.jpg\" alt=\"Kalavrita - Mega Spilaio\" width=\"1050\" height=\"700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/kalavryta-mega-spilaio.jpg 1050w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/kalavryta-mega-spilaio-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/kalavryta-mega-spilaio-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/kalavryta-mega-spilaio-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1050px) 100vw, 1050px\"><\/picture>According to the tradition, the two brothers were in Jerusalem when they saw an apparition. In Jerusalem priests were anointed by the bishop of the Holy City, <strong>Maximus<\/strong>. The order of the optasia stated that the brothers had to go to <strong>Achaia<\/strong> to find the <strong>Holy Icon of the Virgin Mary<\/strong> created from <strong>mastic and wax<\/strong> by <strong>Luke the Evangelist<\/strong>. Simeon and Theodore wandered until in 362 AD they met in the <strong>village of Galatas<\/strong> &#8211;<br \/>\n<strong>today&#8217;s Zachlorou<\/strong> \u2013 a shepherdess.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Euphrosyne<\/strong>, as was her name, led them to the <strong>Great Cave<\/strong> where the Holy Icon was located. Which depicts the Virgin Mary holding Jesus with her right hand, while he touches with his left hand the left hand of the Virgin Mary and in the right holds the Gospel.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/en\/exploring-greece\/peloponnese-the-little-switzerland-in-a-beautiful-corner-of-greece\/27487\/\">Peloponnese:The little\u2026 Switzerland in a beautiful corner of Greece<\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2><strong>The history of the Mega Spilaio Monastery<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-kalavryta.jpg.webp 1046w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-kalavryta-300x201.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-kalavryta-1024x685.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-kalavryta-768x514.jpg.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1046px) 100vw, 1046px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-53417 webpexpress-processed\" src=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-kalavryta.jpg\" alt=\"Mega Spilaio - Kalavrita\" width=\"1046\" height=\"700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-kalavryta.jpg 1046w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-kalavryta-300x201.jpg 300w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-kalavryta-1024x685.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-kalavryta-768x514.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1046px) 100vw, 1046px\"><\/picture>Throughout its history, the <strong>Mega Spilaio<\/strong> (Great Cave) has experienced many adventures, such as being set on fire by the iconoclasts (people that didn&#8217;t believe in the icon worshiping) in 840. <strong>Andronikos Palaiologos<\/strong> restored it in 1285 and it became one of the wealthiest monasteries for a while. It suffered two more fires in 1400 and 1600, which destroyed the church and the valuable library with rare manuscripts.<\/p>\n<p><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/moni-mega-spilaio.jpg.webp 1100w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/moni-mega-spilaio-300x150.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/moni-mega-spilaio-1024x512.jpg.webp 1024w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/moni-mega-spilaio-768x384.jpg.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-53426 webpexpress-processed\" src=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/moni-mega-spilaio.jpg\" alt=\"Monastery - Mega Spilaio\" width=\"1100\" height=\"550\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/moni-mega-spilaio.jpg 1100w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/moni-mega-spilaio-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/moni-mega-spilaio-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/moni-mega-spilaio-768x384.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1100px) 100vw, 1100px\"><\/picture>The <strong>Metropolitan of Patras Parthenios<\/strong> laid siege to Kalavryta in 1770. The abbot of the Monastery of Mega Spilaio and some monks went to Kalavryta and mediated to end the siege and let the Turkish families escape safely. This act of the abbot spared the monastery later, when the rebellion was crushed and the Peloponnese was brutally plundered. A few decades later, in June 1827, monks and locals resisted Ibrahim\u2019s attack. Abbot <strong>Damaskinos<\/strong>\u2019 brave answer to Ibrahim was: \u201c<em>Worshiping is out of the question. If you come here to fight us and win, it is not a big deal, because you will beat some priests. But if you lose \u2026 It will be a shame for you&#8221;<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-monoimeri-ekdromi.jpg.webp 1000w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-monoimeri-ekdromi-214x300.jpg.webp 214w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-monoimeri-ekdromi-731x1024.jpg.webp 731w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-monoimeri-ekdromi-768x1075.jpg.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-53430 webpexpress-processed\" src=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-monoimeri-ekdromi.jpg\" alt=\"Mega Spilaio - One day excursion\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-monoimeri-ekdromi.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-monoimeri-ekdromi-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-monoimeri-ekdromi-731x1024.jpg 731w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-monoimeri-ekdromi-768x1075.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\"><\/picture>In 1934, in a great fire, priceless relics were destroyed. The monastery was rebuilt in 1936 but was burned and looted by the Nazis in December 1943. The monks paid for the atrocity of the Nazis, who after murdering all 22 in a barbaric way, threw them off a steep cliff.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the adventures, the monastery preserves -in its museum, which you will visit if you visit- relics of the Revolution of 1821, a Byzantine banner with the figures of three emperors, sigils, old volumes, even a cross with Holy Wood, and of course the <strong>miraculous icon of Panagia Megalospilaiotissa<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-moni.jpg.webp 1000w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-moni-300x210.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-moni-768x538.jpg.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-53428 webpexpress-processed\" src=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-moni.jpg\" alt=\"Mega Spilaio Moni\" width=\"1000\" height=\"700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-moni.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-moni-300x210.jpg 300w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/mega-spilaio-moni-768x538.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\"><\/picture>The icon is three inches thick and embossed, but the fires that ravaged the monastery throughout its history have damaged a large part of it. Nevertheless, its value is immense since it is believed that this icon, along with the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, was given by Saint Luke to his spiritual son, the <strong>ruler of Achaia Theophilos<\/strong>, who in turn passed them on to his descendants, who hid them in the Great Cave during the persecutions until <strong>Euphrosyne<\/strong> found them.<\/p>\n<p><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/monoimeri-ekdromi-mega-spilaio.jpg.webp 1000w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/monoimeri-ekdromi-mega-spilaio-300x300.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/monoimeri-ekdromi-mega-spilaio-150x150.jpg.webp 150w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/monoimeri-ekdromi-mega-spilaio-768x768.jpg.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-53424 webpexpress-processed\" src=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/monoimeri-ekdromi-mega-spilaio.jpg\" alt=\"One day excursion - Mega Spilaio\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/monoimeri-ekdromi-mega-spilaio.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/monoimeri-ekdromi-mega-spilaio-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/monoimeri-ekdromi-mega-spilaio-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/monoimeri-ekdromi-mega-spilaio-768x768.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\"><\/picture>Mega Spilaio is an ideal suggestion for a one-day excursion from Athens. Before you take the way back, make a stop in Kalavryta to taste delicious dishes &#8211; grilled or cooked.<\/p>\n<h3><a class=\"external\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMMqapAswjaW8Aw?hl=el&amp;gl=GR&amp;ceid=GR:el\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\"><strong>Travel to Greece \u2013 Google News \u2013 Follow us<\/strong><\/a><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/en\/greece\/attica\/the-diamond-beaches-of-corinthian-for-one-day\/24000\/\">Corinthian Gulf beaches \u2013 ideal for day trips from Athens<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/en\/exploring-greece\/peloponnese-arcadia-agia-fotini-the-greek-church-that-is-one-of-the-most-strange-in-the-world\/27581\/\">Peloponnese: Agia Fotini, the Greek church that is one of the most strange in the world<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/exploringgreece.tv\/en\/greece\/ionian-islands\/ithaca-island-stone-villa-that-rubble-wrecked-house\/57294\/\">Ithaca Island: The stone villa that rose from the rubble of a wrecked house<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Follow exploringgreece.tv on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/exploringgreece\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Instagram<\/strong>\u00a0<\/a>and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/ExplorinGreece\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Facebook<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One-day excursion to Mega Spilaio (&#8220;Great Cave&#8221; in Greek) Monastery. Perhaps the most important pilgrimage of Orthodoxy in Greece. It is located ten kilometers northeast of Kalavryta and causes awe to those who see it. The monastery of Mega Spilaio is dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary and took its name from its&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":53416,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"subtitle":"Awe and imposing beauty for the monastery built on the mountain range of Helmos","format":"standard","video":"","gallery":"","source_name":"","source_url":"","via_name":"","via_url":"","override_template":"0","override":[{"template":"3","single_blog_custom":"","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"0","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"sidebar-article","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"topbottom","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"0","show_view_counter":"0","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"0","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"0","post_reading_time_wpm":"150","show_zoom_button":"1","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"2","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"0","show_popup_post":"1","number_popup_post":"3","show_author_box":"0","show_post_related":"0","show_inline_post_related":"0"}],"override_image_size":"0","image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post":"0","trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post":"0","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","sponsored_post_name":"","sponsored_post_url":"","sponsored_post_logo_enable":"0","sponsored_post_logo":"","sponsored_post_desc":"","disable_ad":"0"},"jnews_primary_category":{"id":"7690","hide":""},"jnews_override_counter":{"override_view_counter":"0","view_counter_number":"0","override_share_counter":"0","share_counter_number":"0","override_like_counter":"0","like_counter_number":"0","override_dislike_counter":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"jnews_post_split":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[3120,7680,8552],"tags":[7839,7840,8190,8191,7992],"class_list":["post-60879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-greece","category-west-greece-en","category-achaia","tag-achaia-en-2","tag-kalavryta-en-2","tag-monasteries-of-achaia","tag-monasteries-western-greece","tag-travel-by-car"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.2 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>One-day excursion to Mega Spilaio: The oldest monastery in Greece<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"One-day excursion to Mega Spilaio. 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