Koimiseos Theotokou in Psara

The monastery of Panagia was built in 1780 and is located about 9 km on the north side of the village of Psara. It was designed by architect Roumeliotis at the standards of the monasteries of Mount Athos. According to tradition, the church is consisted of marble which was carried by the habitants from Chios, from the nearby Aegean islands as well as from Malta and Marseilles.

Locals report that at that time, people carried the columns from the beach using ropes which at the one end had anchors for counterweights. The place where they used to unload the marbles is called Kolones (“Columns”). It should also be noted that the monastery would be even more magnificent, if one of the boats that was carrying the materials did not sink. They say that atthe place where the accident happened, if the sea is calm you can see the bottom turning white. When the Ottomans attacked, the monks managed to temporarily repel them by throwing the beehives that they used to breed.


Nowadays in the monastery, rare manuscripts as well as hieratic books which were printed in Moscow and Venice, are preserved. What is more, Dominic Theotokopoulos (also known as El Greco), had made an image of Panagia (“Holy Virgin”), which was salvaged by the residents during the pillage and was brought to the island of Syros, where it is kept until today.


It is worth visiting the Monastery as well as admiring the wonderful view of the whole sea. On clear days you can also have the opportunity to even see the island of Skyros, Mount Athos as well as Lesvos and on the right the “Melaina Akri” (“Black Edge”) of Chios.


In August, the faithful pass their fast inside the monastery and on the 1st of August the transfer of the image of Koimiseos Theotokou from the Monastery to the Church of Metamorfoseos (“Transfiguration”), is taking place.