Παναγία Γιάτρισσα | |
 | |
  Location within Greece | |
| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Panagia Giatrisa, Moni Panagia Giatrissa |
| Order | Greek Orthodox |
| Established | 382 AD (re-established 1683) |
| Dedicated to | Our Lady of Healing |
| Diocese | Gytheio & Itylo |
| Site | |
| Location | Kastania, Sminos, Greece |
| Country | Greece |
| Coordinates | 36°50′58″N 22°23′16″E / 36.849455°N 22.387863°E |
| Public access | yes |
| Other information | East Mani 230 61, Greece, +30 2733 094086 |
The Monastery of Panayia Yiatrissa is an Orthodox Christian monastery located in the southern Peloponnese of Greece. The monastery was erected on the site of the ruins of an ancient temple of Athena. The conversion of the temple from pagan to Christian took place possibly as early as 382 AD.
The site grew to include many structures spread over a wide area, but sometime later it was largely if not wholly abandoned. Tradition holds that it was reestablished as a Christian monastery in 1683 and that numerous miraculous healings have occurred there.[1][2]
Over the ages, the condition of the monastery has ebbed and flowed with the tide of wars, occupations, famines, and faltering or flourishing economies. Today, the monastery complex includes a moderately sized, ornately decorated, Byzantine-style church, and a second small but quaint chapel. Residential quarters for overnight visitors surround the interior courtyard. Outside, the monastery rewards visitors with scenic 360 degree vistas, made accessible by an impressive rampart that encircles the complex and enables visitors to easily walk the site perimeter.[3]
Dedicated to “Our Lady of Healing,” the monastery is primarily used to celebrate the Nativity of Mary, the feast day commemorating the birth of the Virgin Mary, which occurs annually on September 8. Greek churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary are usually called Panagia.
On the feast day, hundreds or thousands of worshippers converge on the monastery from all directions, individually or in large groups, arriving by foot, bicycle, car, bus, or other means. The monastery has sleeping and eating quarters for several dozen overnight visitors, but the remainder either camp outside or find other accommodations.
The monastery was declared a holy shrine in 1972, and since 1977 it has been staffed full-time by clergy in residence. The monastery maintains a minimal staff of one or two residents. Despite this, it is open most days and accepts visitors and tourists, welcoming even those arriving primarily for the magnificent views of the mountains, valleys, and seas below. Liturgies are held regularly, and special services and visits can be arranged on short-notice by contacting the monastery.