MONASTERY of SAINT JOHN the BAPTIST in KASTRI

Between Karatoula, Bernori, Mesorachi, Kotrona, Kakavo, Sorvatsi, Platana, Stolo, Agia-Sofia… on the black background of the rocks… the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist stands imposingly! ! It is wedged in the middle of the rocks, hard to approach, steep, isolated, redoubtable… so that only men could take refuge there, and for this reason this is a men’s monastery! As though Kastri had stayed “hidden from God” around there, at the site Agios Nikolas, and for this reason this is devoted to Saint Nicholas, or, rather, Kastri took its name from the monastery!

The Pilgrim passes under the centenarian pine trees, the spring, the ruins of the old church of Saint George and crosses the threshold of the outer door! A huge complex of cells and other buildings in a (Π) shape shows the care of the monks in the year 1890… in a monastery that the inscription mentions as founded in 1126, and not 930 as some other people consider it to have been founded… although this is the most likely date…

The memory of Saint John the Baptist is celebrated on January 8th; however, the monastery also celebrates on September 6th -nine days after his beheading – and on September 14th, the day of the Holy Cross!

There are cells with domes, arches, arches, stone frames … that observing them, carefully, you see inscriptions that indicate years of renovations …
The image of the Intention with Extreme Humiliation is of exceptional style – and in very good condition it remains!

Moreover, the whole route of the pilgrim until reaching the monastery is picturesque… the gorge of Tanos in the heart of Parnonas as you go to Astros is excellent… Patima, Kotronas with the hermit’s refuge of Saint Eleousa, Kokinovrachos, Fourni… and the ascent on foot up to the monastery is wedged in here… Gardalevos to the north and Tsakonia to the south… The Castle of Oria (of the Fair Lady)! The castle and in its memory, Kastri!