Listed 5 sub titles with search on: Places of worship for wider area of: "MONI TIMIOU PRODROMOU SERON Monastery SERRES" .
MONI TIMIOU PRODROMOU SERON (Monastery) SERRES
The wall paintings of the main church (katholikon) have been painted
by different hagiographers. The oldest among them are those carried out during
the prior ship of the second proprietor, Ioakem (1300-1333), and are distinguished
by their expressiveness, their realism and their passivity that also characterize
contemporary wall paintings preserved in Thessaloniki,
the Holy Mount and Macedonia.
From those fresco murals today are preserved only a few samples. The nave does
not preserve any part of the initial decoration. The latest decoration dates from
1803. the carved wooden iconostasis, of walnut wood, dates from 1804 and being
among the most noteworthy it excites the admiration of the visitors.
This text (extract) is cited September 2003 from the Prefecture
of Serres tourist pamphlet.
1. Chapel of St. Nikolas
2. Chapel of St. Spiridonas and St. John the proprietor
3. Chapel of St. John Prodromos or "Prodromoudi"
4. Chapel of Taxiarches (archangels)
5. Chapel of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Those chapels are situated inside the precinct of the Monastery. The
oldest among them is the "Prodromoudi" dating from the 12th century
and feasting on the birthday of St. John Prodromos. Many secondary constructions
(aqueducts, bridges, guest rooms) have been erected outside the precinct of the
Monastery and 6 chapels that still preserve famous wall paintings. The most outstanding
among them is the chapel of the Dormition of the Virgin that constitutes the cemetery
church of the Monastery.
This text (extract) is cited September 2003 from the Prefecture
of Serres tourist pamphlet.
Tel: +30 23210 71189
The Monastery
of Timios Prodromos is located 12 km. NE of Serres, in the bottom of a ravine
on Mt Menoikion. The catholicon (main church) was built in the 14th century and
belongs to the single-aisled domed type with lite, narthex, exonarthex and an
oblong roofed portico on the south side (Makrynariki). On the north side are two
chapels and the belfry. The rest of the buildings are organized around the catholicon:
cells, abbot's quarters, school, refectory, library, hostel. The wall paintings
of the catholicon were executed in 1300-1333 and were continued in several periods,
by various artists.
The monastery was founded in 1275-1278 by monk Ioannikios from Serres
and a few years later it was renovated by his nephew, Ioakeim, bishop of Zichne.
It soon developed to an important monastic centre with great financial prosperity,
because it was favoured by the Byzantine emperors. Patriarch George Scholarios
(Gennadios) died here and was buried in the catholicon.
The monastery, still functioning today, acquired its final form with
the addition of many buildings during the Turkish occupation.
In the years between 1972 and 1986 the roofs of several buildings
were repaired. Since 1986 restoration has been carried out at the cells of the
east wing and at the north wing.
The Holy Nunnery of John the Baptist is 9 km east of the city of Serres, in a ravine of Menikio mountain, surrounded by a picturesque and pious setting, where the soul is truly distracted from every prosy concern and rised to eternity. There you can experience the piece of sight and the poetry of biblical tranquillity. You can experience an intact part of the Byzantine world, devoted to John the Baptist. The Nunnery is surrounded by an atmosphere of eternity and real charm. The Nunnery was built in 1270 a.c. by Ioannikios, who served as Bishop of Ezeve (Dafni). Afterwards, his nephew, Joakem, Metropolite of Zihni, during the year 1300 surrounded the Nunnery with high, solid walls and endowed it with royal donations (monastery dependency and land).
In 1345 A.C. the land belonging to the Nunnery was almost destroyed by the invasion of the Serbs. Only due to Hellen, wife of the Serbian Krali Stefanos Dousan, the land wasn't completely destroyed. During the Turkish domination the Nunnery had the great honour of welcoming the first Patriarch Gennadios Shcolarios after the fall of Constantinople. According to history, Gennadios was a Patriarch for 3 years, from 1453 to 1457 and then he resigned and came to the Nunnery. In 1462 he was invited to the Patriarchal throne for the second time, which lasted only for one year. In 1464 he returned to the Patriarchal throne for the third time, but he was replaced by Joasaph the 1st, not having even completed one yea and as a result he returned to the Nunnery, where he died in 1472.
According to tradition, Gennadios' grave was in the middle part of the catholic church of the Nunnery, close to the graves of the Founders. The removal of his relics took place in May 1854 and now are placed in a box. Close to the grave there is a marble sign, engraved with an honorable epigram by the poet Helias Tantalidis, which was sent by the Patriarchate of Constantinople, at the time of the removal of the wise Patriarch's relics.
The Nunnery has been the center of an uninterrupted painting movement. There are icons of the 14th century, some of the most interesting in our country and also beautiful wall paintings from the year 1630. There is also a wonderful icon screen made out of walnut wood and very artistically engraved in 1804. In the square ancient tower of the Nunnery, that was converted into a Library, there were 100 handwritten volumes in vellum, 200 handwritten volumes in paper, 1500 volumes of different kinds of books, 4 golden bulls of Byzantine Emperors, in vellum, 5 patriarchic sigils, 4 old codes and many other religious articles that were stolen by the Bulgarians during 1913 and 1917.
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