Holy Monastery of Saint Nikolaos Lemonion

The Holy Monastery of Staint Nicolas of Lemonion (Agios Nikolaos “Lemonion”) is located on the slopes of Stavros Mountain, in the pine forest, and right next to it, is located the church of St. John Kalyvitis (Agios Ioannis Kalivitis) from the 10th century. On its bell tower there is an inscription engraved with the date 1742, but it is not known if this is the year of renovation or foundation of the monastery. The architecture of the church of Saint Nikolaos is a one-aisled basilica. Its masonry consists of large stones and has two gates. It has simple hagiographies, works of the local hagiographer Nikolaos Hadrianos. During the Ottoman domination and the rebellion of 1821, the thriving Monastery of Saint Nikolaos was the place of refuge and hospitality of the persecuted by the Turks. Later, during the reign of Otto, it was abandoned. It reopened in 1966, this time as a convent for women. Four portable icons from the 18th century, works of the Athenian iconographer Ioannis Athanasios, are currently kept in the Monastery. The Monastery celebrates on December 6th.