Top 5 religious destinations in Greece (Part A)

Religious tourism in Greece is a large part of tourism that is developing rapidly. A country with a strong religious interest like ours, gives the motivation to all those who wish to visit holy places and religious monuments in order to know the greatness of Orthodox Christianity. Here are the Top 5 religious destinations of our country that also attract thousands of foreign tourists annually.

Patmos

It was not called the island of the Apocalypse by chance. The unique energy that overflows throughout the island is due to the Monastery of Saint John the Theologian. It is the location where the Evangelist John wrote the book of Revelation in 95 BC. and specifically in the Holy Cave of the Apocalypse. Mystical atmosphere, labyrinthine alleys in Chora, natural landscapes, traditional mansions and quiet beaches rank Patmos at the top of the options for holidays and exploration.

Patmos was declared by the Greek state "Holy Island" in 1981. The Town, the Monastery and the Holy Cave were declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1999. Finally, something that is not widely known is that Patmos belongs to the COESIMA (Coopération Européenne des Sites Majeurs d'Accueil) network as one of the seven most important pilgrimage sites in Europe.

Meteora

Who has visited Meteora and not been in awe of nature's majesty and potential to create masterpieces? A complex of towering, imposing, dark rocks encloses the monasteries of Meteora just outside Kalambaka in Thessaly. This wild and apparently inaccessible landscape was the ideal place for Christian ascetics, it is estimated, before the 11th century.

The monastic state that was created over the centuries reached its peak around the 17th century. Today, of the 30 monasteries, only 6 are open to visitors, and since 1988 UNESCO has included them in the list of World Heritage Sites.

Mount Athos

Mount Athos or the Athos Peninsula is the easternmost point of the Halkidiki peninsula, the "home" of Orthodox Monasticism. The height of the mountain reaches 2,033 meters and is characterized by steep slopes and dense vegetation. At the southernmost point of the peninsula is the Monastery of Mount Athos, which is a self-governing part of the Greek State and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The name Athos comes from Greek mythology. Today there are 20 Orthodox monasteries over 1000 years old! 17 are Greek and there is also one Russian, one Bulgarian and one Serbian.

The way of life of the monks in the monasteries is now only communal. All the monasteries follow the Julian calendar, while the day begins at sunset (!) with the exception of the Iberon monastery where the day begins at sunrise. Its history can be seen in written accounts and relics, although many of them have been destroyed. Those that have been saved are kept in safe places and under controlled conditions. Access to the peninsula and entry to the Monastery is prohibited for women.

Aegina

Read our previous article here.

Tags: patmos, meteora, mount athos, Saint Nektarios, Aegina, Religious Tourism