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Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-04-03
CONTENTS
[01] Easter on the rock towers of Meteora
[01] Easter on the rock towers of Meteora
The visitors of the rock towers of Meteora (meaning: "suspended in the
air") in central Greece live a unique Easter experience as the region
combines natural beauty, spirituality and rich local tradition.
At a close distance from the city of Kalabaka, Meteora is included in
the UNESCO World Heritage List and is home to one of the largest and
most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in the
country, second only to Mount Athos in the northern prefecture of
Halkidiki. The monasteries are built on natural sandstone rock pillars,
at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Peneios
River and Pindus Mountains.
Although it is unknown when the monasteries of Meteora were
established, historians maintain that it was as early as the 11th
century AD when hermit monks started living in caves and cutouts in the
rocks. By the late 11th or early 12th century a rudimentary monastic
state had formed called the Skete of Stagoi, centered around the church
of Theotokos (mother of God), which still stands.
Access to the monasteries was originally extremely difficult, requiring
either long ladders lashed together or large nets used to haul up both
goods and people.
The Orthodox tradition in Meteora is continued by six monasteries -
Great Meteoron, Varlaam, Rousanou, St. Nicholas Anapausas, St. Stephen
and Holy Trinity - without an interruption for over 600 years following
a period of decline in the 17th century AD.
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