Holy Monastery of Venerable Father David

The Holy Monastery of Venerable Father David (Greek: Ιερά Μονή Οσίου Δαυίδ του Γέροντος, ὁ ἐν Εὐβοίᾳ) is located near Lymne of Euboea, a Greek Island, eight km from the village of Rovjes, and about twenty minutes from the village of Drymona. It is built under the cover of Telethrion (Dry) mount, among serried forests of pine-trees and fir-trees.

History

Venerable Saint David of Euboea (c.1480 - c.1589).

It was built in 1520 by the young (at that time) ascetic David, using contributions from rich monks and Christians of Greece, Moldovlachia and Russia.

Turkish domination

In the Turkish domination the Monastery became a shelter for the miserable inhabitants of the area and «hidden school» for slaveries. In 1824 Turks butchered all the Monks and burnt the Monastery.

Liberation

After the Liberation a new monastery was founded. In 1870 the Catholicon of the monastery that is dedicated to the Transfiguration and to the holy founder Venerable David, was destroyed by an earthquake. It was rebuilt in 1877 by Anthimos Aggelis who was Abbot at that time. The largest estate of the Monastery was expropriated in 1933.

Restoration

In 1951, in the priorship of Archimandrite Nikodemos Thomas, the Monastery was restored from the beginning and many new chapels (Saint Archangel Michael, Holy martyr Polycarpus, Saint Varvara, Saint George and Assumption of the Virgin, Venerable Eiriny Chrysovalantou, Saint Nectarios, Saint Vasil and Saint Demetrios) were built. A new building contains large guest rooms which can offer hospitality to over one hundred worshippers.

Remains of the old building

Only one part of the east aisle of the old building of the Monastery is saved. Of particular interest is the chapel of Saint Charalampos, that firstly was the cell of Venerable Father David, where he stayed every Saturday. The Byzantine chapel (catacomb) of Saints Anargyros is found undamaged under it. It is decorated with marvelous wall paintings of the 18th century.

Holy water

The «Agionery» (saint-water) is found in the north of the Monastery to distance about one Km. According to tradition Venerable David struck the rock with his stick and it gushed curative holy water.

Venerable David's cave

To the south of the Monastery, about twenty minutes on foot, near a ravine, the pilgrim finds a cave. It, according to tradition, was the room of the training (Asceterion) of Venerable David, who lived on scanty bread all the week.

Reliquary and museum

It is worth mentioning the Reliquary of the Monastery, where, besides the relics of Venerable David, relics of many Saints (Protomartyr Stefanos, Cyprianus, Justin, Tryfon, Charalampus, Panteleymon, Therapon, Anargyron Cyrus and John) are kept. These have been carried by himself, Venerable Father, from the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the patriarchy of Jeremia II the Grand (Tranos). In the end, Venerable David’s Russian stole and a Russian censer, his staff, old icons and three woodcut-crosses are saved in the Museum of the Monastery. One of the three crosses is from the era of Palaiologoi etc.

References

1. ↑ (Greek) ΙΕΡΑ ΜΟΝΗ ΟΣΙΟΥ ΔΑΥΪΔ ΓΕΡΟΝΤΟΣ. Ιερά Μητρόπολις Χαλκίδος, Ιστιαίας και Βορείων Σποράδων (Holy Metropolis of Chalcis, Istiaia and Sporades). Retrieved: 15 January, 2015.

Coordinates: 38°50′45″N 23°16′55″E / 38.8459°N 23.2820°E / 38.8459; 23.2820