The Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi on Poros island

The Monastery of Zoodochos Pigi is the most important religious monument of Poros built in a verdant area 4 klm away from the town of Poros. The Monastery was founded from the Archbishop of Athens Iakovos in 1720, who was suffering from an illness and he was cured miraculously after drinking from the Holy water of the fountain of the Monastery. In 1733, the Patriarch of Constantinople, Paisios the 2nd, recognised it as a Monastery under the Patriarch's jurisdiction giving a lot of privileges to the Monastery. The Monastery played an important role during the Greek Revolution in terms of financial and social assistance to the freedom fighters.

The first Governor of the liberated Greece Ioannis Kapodistrias as well as the great warriors in land and sea Miaoulis, Tompazis, Apostolis, Boudouris, Drosinos, got strenght from their beloved monastery, praying in front of the holy icon of the Mother of God of Zoodochos Pigi monastery. In 1828, in the establishments of the Holy Monastery, Ioannis Kapodistrias founded the first orphanage of the liberated Greek nation for the orphans of the warriors of the war for freedom. 180 orphans were sheltered in the monastery, which took full care of them.

In 1830, the first Eclesiastical School, in the eastern wing of the Monastery, was founded by I. Kapodistrias, with 15 students. The Governor's vision was to provide the new born state with educated clergymen, willing to work for its spiritual support. The Holy Monastery became a source of spiritual comfort for many believers and other religious people. In 1814, a group of monks from Mount Athos, called "Kollyvades", took refuge in this Monastery. A few years later, these monks founded the Zoodochos Pigi Monastery at Longovarda in this island of Poros. In 1821, monks from another monastery of Mount Athos also sought refuge in this monastery in order to keep in safety the sacred and valuable articles of their monastery and the Holy Relic of Saint John the Baptist.

In this monastery also, in the beginning of the 20th century, Saint Nectarios, a saint of our times, stayed for a couple of months as well as other holy ascetic people, who sanctified the place with their prayers and priritual struggles.

Katholiko, that is the main church of the monastery, is a bacilica with a dome and a tower like belfry. In both sides of the vestibule of the church there are the tombs of the heroic admirals of the Liberation War of Greece Manolis Tombazis, from Hydra island and Nikolaos Apostolis, from Psara island. Inside the church there is an excellent iconostasis (templo) of exquisite craft. It was propably made in Asia Minor, it is five meters high, curved on lime-wood and plated with gold. Its great height and its bending surface towards the main part of the church, help to the excellent acoustics of the building.

On the right of the iconostasis the household icon of Panagia, the Zoodochos Pigi (the life-giving spring), is placed. The old Byzantine icon is dated in 1650 a.d. It is a masterpiece of Byzantine art. Around the main figure of the Mother of God, many miracles that Her Grace worked are depicted. In front of the icon there is a silver oil lamp, in which a vigil light is burning, as a token of gratitude for the miracle worked by the Mother of God in 1990. After a long period of rainlessness, Panagia listened to the prayers of monks and priests and it rained.

Opposite to the icon of Panagia and on the left of the "templo" there is an icon of the Mother of God painted by the Italian painter and doctor Raphael Tsecoli (1849 a.d.). The icon shows Panagia holding the Holy Infant Jesus and a sceptre. This icon was donated to the Monastery by Tsecoli out of gratitude because his daughter, Archia Tsecoli, who finally died of tuberculosis in 1847, was hosted and cured at the monastery. Tsecoli has given his daughter's lineaments to the face of Panagia and little Jesus. In the lower part of the icon, Tsecoli painted the Monastery, protected by the Mother of God.

On the left side of the church, near the entrance, there is also a small, miracle-working icon of great value, placed on a wood-engraved stand. It is called Panagia the Amolyntos (Mother of God, the Immaculate), dated in 1590 and is decorated with a gold-and-silver-plated cover. It is called "Evresis", because it was found in the woods. It was offered by monk Zosimas.On the western wass of the church, the icon of Christ Pantocrator (the All-Mighty God) is hung, made with excellent craftsmanship (1780). According to tradition, there are two more icons offered by the admirals Basilios Boudouris and Andreas Miaoulis. It is said that Miaoulis had a gold-and-silver-plated icon of Panagia Zoodochos Pigi with him, in his battle ship "Aris". He had it hung on the ship's bridge and he often prayed in front of it during the sea-lights. On the outer south wall of the main church a sundial is attached. It is the work of a priest-monk named Galaction Galatis, who was prior of the Monastery.

The Holy Monastery comes under the notice of the Holy Metropolis of Hydra, Spetses, Aegina, Hermionis and Trizinia. It numbers 17 registered monks. Three of them reside permantely in the Monastery and, apart from their duties as monks, they offer social and spiritual help to the people of the wider territory of the local church.