The coastal road that goes to Mandraki branches off in Mandraki and with a dirt and easy-passable road goes up to the women’s Monastery of Ag. Nikolaou , which the visitor reaches after a journey of about 1 hour.
In the beginning the Monastery was for men and its foundation is determined in the year 1675 by an unknown Skiathite Hieromonk. It is located on the top of Mount Obori and is about one kilometer from the Holy Trinity Monastery.
The Holy Church is of Byzantine style with an octagonal dome and the sacred images of the wood-carved altarpiece, which is new, are of old and great Byzantine art, dating back to the 17th century.
In the times of the Turkish occupation and after the liberation, the Monastery flourished and many brothers practiced and were graced by the protection and blessing of Agios Nikolaos. Then the island of Trikeri was donated to the Holy Monastery.
After the 1940 war, the Monastery fell into decline. Its last “champion” was the Hieromonk Arsenios Vetimis, who lived as a monk there for about thirty years.
In 1983 the Monastery, which had been deserted after the death of Hieromonk Arsenios, was converted into a women’s monastery, so with the blessing and support of the Church, its Catholic renovation began.
The holy church of Agios Nikolaos was completely renovated, while all the areas of the Monastery were beautified and beautified in a wonderful way. The reverence and assistance of the Hydraians and the other pilgrims in the renovation project of the Monastery was touching.
Holy Monastery of Agios Nikolaos Hydra, 18040 Monastery telephone number: 22980 – 52551 Visiting hours: by phone appointment Feast day: December 6, feast of Agios Nikolaos
The journey from the beach of Hydra to the Monastery of Agia Triada is about 55 minutes. At the beach, the first road (at Alphabank) on the left leads to the stadium and then to the pine-covered area of the Monastery of Agia Fotini. From Agia Fotini we take a dirt path and after a while we reach the ‘Mill’, a stone building of the 18th century, which was a wheat processing plant. At this point the road splits into two paths, which lead to the Monasteries of Agia Matrona and Agia Triada.
The Monastery of Agia Triada is built on the top of the mountain, where the road built by the Demogerontia of Hydra in the 18th century ended.
The construction of the Monastery is identified in 1704 with its founder, the priest Antonios Economou. Antonios left all his property to the Monastery of Agia Triada with his will in 1736.
Parthenios was an abbot at the end of the 18th century and Chrysanthos Karatzas (1839-1884) was the one who repaired the Monastery because it had fallen into disrepair and bought the land around it.
In the revolution of 1821 the Monastery of Agia Triada offered financial support to the struggling Greeks. In 1825, Tsamis Karatassos fortified the Monastery to repel any invasion.
In 1915, a storm of great intensity caused terrible damage to Agia Triada after destroying the dome and a large part of the roof of the catholicon. The damage to the Monastery was restored at his own expense in 1916 by the great Water benefactor Gikas N. Koulouras.
In the four years 1970-1974, the Holy Monastery of the Holy Trinity was renovated under the supervision of the blessed Metropolitan of Hydra Ierotheos and at that time it was transformed into a House of Paternal Ministry.
The monastic complex presents the characteristics of the orthodox type of monasteries, with the Byzantine-style church in the middle and around it the building complexes, an entrance with an arch, a garden, buildings with a dining room, a library, cells, a guest house, etc. The icons of the church are probably hagiographed by the water iconographer Karatzas.
Holy Trinity Monastery of Hydra, 18040
Monastery phone: (+30)22980-52553
Day of celebration on the feast of the Holy Spirit
The journey from the beach of Hydra to the Monastery of Agia Triada is about 40 minutes. At the beach, the first road (at Alphabank) on the left leads to the stadium and then to the pine-covered area of the Monastery of Agia Fotini.
From Agia Fotini we take a dirt path and after a while we reach the ‘Mill’, a stone building of the 18th century, which was a wheat processing plant. At this point the road splits into two paths, which lead to the Monasteries of Agia Matrona and Agia Triada.
The Holy Monastery of Agia Matrona, 15 minutes away from the Monastery of Agia Triada, is female, is located on Mount Karessa and celebrates on October 20. Its founder was Chrysanthos Karatzas in 1865.
In the monastery complex is also the church of Agios Sozontos, an additional jewel, on the hard-to-reach slope of the “Karessa” mountain.
Holy Monastery of Agia Matrona Hydra, 18040
Monastery phone: 22980 – 52552
Day of celebration: October 20, feast of Saint Matrona
At the eastern end of the historic island of Hydra and on the barren rocky plateau of Ano Zourva, the Holy Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin is located, one might say, isolated from the world.
We travel along the route Hydra – Agios Nikolaos and continuing on the dirt path we come across many stone demolished houses, which were inhabited by Hydra shepherds until the previous century.
The road crosses the foothills of Mount Obori (506 meters), which in Arvanitika means “sheep station”.
As far as the Monastery of Zourva, we come across two dry rivers and several chapels built in the 18th century, which have recently been renovated.
Some of them are of Saint Paraskevi, Prophet Elias and Saint George. The Holy Church of the Monastery of Genesios tis Theotokos, probably built at the end of the 18th century.
The Hydrian writer Georgios Sahinis mentions that while discussing with the renovator and founder of the current women’s Holy Monastery, the spiritual elder Daniel Siakos, he was informed that the holy icon of the Virgin Mary was found in the year 1776 in a cave on the estate of Eleftherios Giannikis, who founded the Monastery.
Today the Icon is in the Catholicos of the Holy Monastery and the Holy Icon has been covered with silver and gold leaf
Transportation is also done by boat or by sea TACHI, when the weather permits. The trip takes around 45 minutes. From the port of Lediza, the ascent takes about 45 minutes and is made through a narrow street with rough cobblestones, with a slow pace and stops.
Holy Monastery of Genesios of Theotokos Zourvas Hydra, 18040
Monastery phone: 22980 – 52715
Day of celebration: September 12, Feast of the Nativity of the Theotokos Zourvas
Starting from the Church of the Patron Saint of the island, Agios Konstantinos of Hydria, we follow the uphill path that leads to the Monastery of the Prophet Elias, in about 60 minutes, founded in 1813 by the holy “Kollyvades” fathers, on the site of a monastery, which was a metochi of I. M. Panagia of Faneromeni Hydra.
Along the way we come across a beautiful pine forest and in the area of “Old Kalogrea”, an old nunnery. Along the way there are benches to lie down and enjoy the unique view. From one point onwards the path becomes cobblestone with steps that lead you to the gate of the Monastery, where the Prophet Elias welcomes you with open arms, looking at you from a mosaic that decorates the gate.
The monastery’s catholicon is in the style of a simple basilica with a dome, according to the saintly pattern, surrounded by cells or auxiliary buildings and was inaugurated in 1815, on the day of the Feast of the Entry of the Virgin. Today several old portable icons are preserved, Pantokrator on the dome, Platytera and a wonderful wood-carved iconostasis.
The Monastery has a rich library, which was especially organized in 1870 by the then abbot Ierotheos Kostopoulos, while in the courtyard of the Monastery of the Prophet Elias there is a cistern with drinking water, a threshing floor and stables.
In the year 2000, the last of that select succession of Kollyvades of 1813, BC, fell asleep. Efthymios Skagos. Following actions of the Holy Metropolis of Hydra, Spetses and Aegina, the Monastery was once again manned from Mount Athos, from the Monastery of Saint Gregory.
During the Revolution of 1821, the Monastery functioned as a prison and Kolokotronis and other chieftains were imprisoned there for a while.
Holy Monastery of the Prophet Ilias Hydra, 18040Monastery phone: 22980 – 52540Day of celebration: July 20, feast of the Prophet Elias
Starting from the Church of the Patron Saint of the island, Agios Konstantinos of Hydraios, we follow the uphill path that leads to the Monastery of the Prophet Elias and the female Monastery of Agia Eupraxia, in about 60 minutes.
Along the way we come across a beautiful pine forest and in the area of “Old Kalogrea”, an old nunnery. Along the way there are benches to lie down and enjoy the unique view. From one point onwards the path becomes a cobblestone with steps that leads you to the Monastery of Prophet Ilias.
The Monastery of Agia Eupraxia is located near the Monastery of Prophet Ilias at an altitude of about 500 meters with a wonderful view, among pine and cypress trees.
It is built of stone, founded in 1819 and was from the beginning a women’s Monastery. Her small church was built in 1829 by Father Ierotheos Dokos, who dedicated the Monastery to Agia Eupraxia.
The Holy Monastery became famous for the obedience, philanthropy, spirituality and charity of the women who live there. Her textiles were famous.
In the past, the Monastery flourished so much that it staffed three new Holy Monasteries: Saints Anargyri of Hermione, Saint Matron Hydra and Eleftherotria Aegina.
Today, 3 nuns live in the Holy Monastery and in its surroundings you can see and buy very beautiful handicrafts.
Holy Monastery of Agia Eupraxia Hydra, 18040
Monastery phone: 22980 – 52484
Day of celebration: July 25, feast of Agia Eupraxia
At the beach, the first road (at Alphabank) on the left, after the flying dolphin, leads to the stadium of Hydra and then to the pine-covered area of the Monastery of Agia Fotini.
In 1860 the Hieromonk P. Anthimos Hatzikonstandakis, Monk of the Monastery of the Prophet Elias, bought the small church of Agia Fotini, in an estate with fruit trees, and founded a Monastery of Virgin Women, in which he built additional cells for the Nuns.
In 1881 he passed away and left his heirs the Nuns Evdokia Tsigari (first Abbess) and her nieces Fotini and Makrina Roumanis.
In 1921, with the consent of the two Nuns – Makrina and Fotini – the dilapidated church was demolished and, under the Blessed Metropolitan of Hydra – Spetses – Aegina, Prokopios Karamanou, a new I. Church was erected in the name of the Holy Great Martyrs Fotini and Osias Elisabeth, royal order.
In 1924, the Nuns Makrina and Fotini Roumani, donated and granted the I.N. of Saints Fotini and Elizabeth, after the precious Holy vessels in the Cathedral of Hydra “Assumption of the Virgin” and in 1925, the Nuns donated and granted the entire estate to Metropolitan.
In 1938, the last Nun Makrina (second Abbess) died and the Metropolitan granted the Monastery for safekeeping and cultivation to the Ilias and Zacharo Lebesi family, who lived next to the Hermitage.
In 1955, Metropolitan Prokopios donated the estate and I.N. of Saints Fotini & Elisabeth, to establish a women’s Hermitage with a third Abbess, Agni Angelopoulou.
In 1963, the Byzantine-style Holy Church of Panagia Portaitissa, the miraculous holy icon, was rebuilt and inaugurated, in the courtyard of the Heritage
In 1969, following a ban, due to the healing of Kathigomeni instead of the miraculous Agios Nektarios, a second Church, of Ag. Nektariou and Ag. Martyrs Kirikou and Juliet
In 1989, the then six-member brotherhood of I. Hesychastiri under the leadership of Agnis Angelopoulos, demolished the eastern old wing and built a new one, which houses a kitchen, a cellar and 2 dining rooms on the ground floor, while the cells of the Monks are on the atrium
Today the brotherhood counts only 2 Nuns, who, apart from their religious and devotional duties, work zealously for the maintenance and beautification of the Monastery.
Holy Monastery of Agia Fotini & Elisabeth Hydra, 18040
Monastery phone: (+30) 22980 – 52209
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