Location information

The Monastery of Agios Prokopios

AGIOS PROKOPIOS (Village) TRIKALA
  The Abbey of the Great Martyr Agios Prokopios is found in the village "Ag. Prokopios" of Trikala, in an altitude of 700m. 10 km far from the town of Pyli. It is built on the slopes of the mountain "Stefani", of Pindos' mountain range, in a splendid location with abundantly spring waters, drowned in the green, with marvellous forest from a variety of trees and thickets.
  The roughly 48 acres of the Abbey were paled with stone wall from bulky stones that in many places are apparent until today. Round the Temple and the cells there was a roughly 2 m. high wall and immured an area of roughly 4 acres. It had two entries eastwards and westwards.   The Catholic of the Abbey was stone-built. The roof and the dome were made from flint and in many places of the roof as well as in the corners of the dome there were fixture special earthen vessels for the creation of good acoustic of the room. The roof was made from stone. In the northern part there was a small door of entry with the top part arched. This door led to the Narthex that was separated from the main Temple with a stone wall. A small door, smaller than the entry led to the Main Temple. The Temple was Byzantine, three-aisled, with dancing and dome, entire with hagiographies. The Temple was wood-curve, of most excellent style. Proportion sculptured decorated with ivory. The candlesticks from crucible wrought iron.
  The earthquake in 1954, lead the top of the dome to collapse and the walls of the Abbey suffered serious cracks. The non re-establishment of the damages and the weather contributed, so that the damages become irreparable. So, in 1960 the ignorance... demolished everything that had remained standing, in order for a new smaller temple to be built.
  This effort to construct a New Temple stopped in the foundation up to 1986. In 19/10/86 with the benedictions of the Venerable Metropolite of Trikki and Stagon Mr. Alexios, a new foundation of the Temple was laid. After 4 years of efforts, the New Temple was completed and was inaugurated by the Metropolite Mr. Alexjos in 8/7/1989. From the church of the Old Abbey 6 pictures of the Temple were only saved and two Holy Gospels. According to information the Abbey was founded in the Middle of the 16th century in honour of the Prophet Elias.
  Later, unknown how, the Abbey of the Prophet Elias was renamed into Abbey of Agios Prokopios. The tradition reports that an old monk saw in a vision ' Saint Prokopios saying to him: "The prophet Elias has many Temples all over Greece, however I have not even one". Then a delegation of monks - always accordingly to the tradition - returned in the Patriarchate and reported the drama in the Patriarch. He advised they should build a divine Temple for the praise of Agios Prokopios. And it may be the only Abbey in the Christian world, for the praise of the Great Martyr Agios Prokopios. On a marble slate that was found, the church of the Abbey had been renovated in 1761. Also, according to information of the villages' residents, up to 1924 the Abbey was functioning, as elders report the presence of two old monks.