The ancient monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, or Chozoviótissa dates back to the 11th century and is an unmissable stop on your Greek holiday. It is located on the east coast of Amorgos, 2 km from Chora, nestled between the rocks of Monte S. Elia at a height of 300 meters. From the monastery you can admire a spectacular panoramic view of the Aegean.
This suggestive sanctuary with its whitewashed walls represents the main example of Greek Orthodox monastic architecture and visible only from the sea or from the access stairway.
The history of the monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa
There are no official documents on its foundation, but the most probable hypothesis is that in 1088 the Byzantine emperor Alexy I Comnenus ordered its construction to honor a sacred icon dating back to 812, currently displayed inside the monastery.
You can see the signs of the Venetian dominion (1296-1537) such as the pointed arches of the entrance door and some internal parts of the monastery. Even during the Turkish occupation (1537-1824) the monastery continued to thrive and thanks to its fame it has come down to our days in a perfect state of conservation.
Today, although there are only three monks left in the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, they manage, with the collaboration of industry experts, to enhance this magnificent place of worship more and more. In addition, a team of professionals has been working since 2012 to have the monastery declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A truly ambitious and commendable project that certainly requires a lot of effort from everyone, but that could be a launching pad for the tourist economy of Amorgos.
The legend of the monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa
Such an ancient place cannot fail to be linked to a legend, in this case the legends are different. The main one says that around the first half of the ninth century, a boat with some monks arrived on the coast of Amorgos, fled from Khozova, in Palestine to save an icon of the Madonna. They stopped right on the beach of Agia Anna, which is located below the monastery and built a small church to preserve the sacred image. Another legend says that the icon came from Cyprus, after being split in two and thrown into the sea, it was transported by the currents to Amorgos and sheltered by the monks.
It is then said that a fallen rock revealed a secret cell that was supposedly hiding a treasure and there seems to have been much disappointment when it was found empty!
Whatever the truth, the icon preserved in the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa is considered miraculous, in fact, every year in August over 600 people arrive on the island every day to pray.
Let's explore the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa
The monastery is in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment, in fact it is no coincidence that the chapel was built inside a crack in the rock.
The monastic complex is small in size, but is developed in height: 8 floors with various differences in height and a hundred rooms, joined by narrow stairways carved into the rock, tunnels and arches. All built essentially in stone, lime and juniper wood.
The heart of the whole complex of the Panagia Hozoviotissa is the small church, at the bottom, on the right, near the door that opens onto the terrace, there is the precious icon of the Madonna, displayed inside a showcase with a beautiful wooden frame .
During Easter, during Holy Week the icon is carried in a village-by-village procession.
More than a monastery, it was a real community with everything needed for daily life. You can admire the kitchens, the old cells, the courtyards, the refectory and even the ovens, warehouses, the granary, the ancient pantry for bread, the woodshed, the presses, the oil mill, the cellars with huge jars that contained wine and oil , the pits for lime and wells for drawing water.
Of all this, today only the refectory, with its old wooden ceiling, is used for the feast of the Presentation of Mary, on November 21, when the inhabitants of Amorgos have dinner together around an old table.
Inside the Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa you will find precious icons and parchment manuscripts made from the 11th to the 13th century. While in the small adjacent museum are kept seals, manuscripts, vestments, crosses and ancient holy water fonts.
Do not forget to go out on the terrace to admire the three bells, the white crosses painted on the rock and in front of you the deep blue of the sea that seems infinite will open.
The Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa is a place of great spirituality, where you will find kind and hospitable monks who will offer you tasty sweets, a taste of rakamelo, or glass of water in exchange for a small donation and will explain to you in detail all the legends just described.
How to get to the monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa
You can easily reach it by car or scooter from the road that leads to the beach of Agia Anna and then go up the long staircase admiring the cliff behind and above you along the way and end up getting lost in the blue horizon.
Some practical information
The monastery is open every day from 08.00 to 13.00 and from 17.00 to 19.00 and admission is free. But it is mandatory to wear long pants and for women to have their shoulders covered. In the sanctuary it is also forbidden to photograph and shoot, to preserve these precious treasures intact ..
We advise you to buy something from the monks to contribute to the maintenance of this incredible sacred place, which contains the work of mother nature and the creation of man.