Description of the attraction
The Mega Spilayo Monastery (translated as "big cave") is located 10 km from the city of Kalavryta and is the oldest monastery in Greece. It was built on a steep slope of a 120 meter high rocky hill in 362 AD. two brothers, monks Simeon and Theodore.
According to legend, the brothers had the same dream, in which they were told to go to Achaia and find the icon of the Mother of God. The local shepherdess had to show them the way. And so it happened. They met the shepherdess Euphrosinia, and she showed them the way to the cave, where they found the icon. The monks expanded the cave, built a chapel and remained to preach in these places. The cells of the monastery were built around the entrance to the cave in which the icon was found.
It is believed that the icon was created by the apostle Luke from wax almost 2,000 years ago. This icon is also called the "Right-Handed", since the Mother of God holds the baby on her right hand. The miraculous icon of the Mother of God is still kept in the monastery and is considered its most important relic. It is interesting that many of the fires that the monastery suffered during its history could not destroy this shrine.
In 840 the monastery was burned down and restored only in 1285 by Andronicus Palaeologus. Since then, the monastery has become one of the richest in the country. Mega Spilayo survived two more fires in 1400 and 1600, then the church library with rare manuscripts also died in the fire. In 1934, another fire destroyed the priceless holy relics. In 1936 the monastery was restored, but in December 1943 it suffered serious destruction at the hands of the German invaders. Then 22 monks and other employees of the monastery were shot, and their bodies were thrown into the abyss.
Mega Spilayo is a historical shrine in Greece. Thousands of pilgrims come here every year to touch the miraculous icon of the Mother of God and worship the particles of the holy relics that survived the fire. The monastery is located in a beautiful picturesque place and is very attractive for tourists.
