Holy Monastery of the Virgin Mary of Anthousa
Address
Anthousa 420 32
GPS
39.649621425922, 21.205394268036
The katholikon of the monastery was founded on 30-5-1799 and completed on 25-8-1799, i.e. in three months. The curate was Hieromonk Jacob (25-8-1799), who is mentioned as abbot in 1810 and 1829.
The monastery was destroyed in 1943 by the Germans. At that time the icon of the Milk-bearing Virgin Mary was burnt, a dedication of 1788 by Dimitrios Tourtouris from Kalarriti “in memory of him and his cousins and their successors”. Also destroyed was the chapel of St. John the Baptist, which was venerated on 29 August (a cut of his head).
Today, apart from two newer buildings to the west, only the katholikon, an elegant stone building with a four-aisled roof, covered with slabs, two choirs of the Athonite type and a dome, survives. It is a single-aisled basilica with a semicylindrical arch on the roof. Some remains of the old frescoes are preserved.
The northern stone doorway (where the inscriptions are) has elaborate relief jewellery (Holy Trinity, Eagelism of the Virgin Mary, of two: two-headed eagles, angels and flowerpots). Also, the outer eastern niche depicts the Virgin Mary, Christ, trees, doves, snakes, flowers, etc.
The monastery is built in a wonderful location, surrounded by lush fir forest. About half a kilometer north and on the Acheloos is an elegant stone bridge, which was used to communicate Thessaly with Epirus from the crossing of Baros.
