While the boys & I were in Ohio this month, DH and his father spent those 2 weeks doing business in Greece.

Mega Spileo monastery, a.k.a. Agia Lavra, was the first monastery built in Greece in 365 A.D.

I had never heard of this monastery's home in Kalavryta, Greece but once DH brought me a book home from his trip, it only took a moment for me to develop an immense feeling of respect for it. The trials and tribulations that this land has been through made the hair on my arms stand up and brought tears to my eyes.

The monastery itself was destroyed by fire four times and every time it was re-built. Then in 1943 Nazi soldiers executed hundreds of townspeople and attempted to burn women and children alive. The town was burned into a pile of burnt-out shells. Though today it is a popular tourist attraction, the town has not forgotten it's past and the blood of it's innocents is still as fresh on it's soil as it was in 1943.

This monument, the Kalavryta Mother, was built in remembrance of those lost during WWII. It depicts the mothers mourning the loss of their children, husband and other loved ones whose lives were taken in vain.

The Banner-the icon of the Dormition served as a symbol of the Greek's struggle for Christ, the holy Faith, the Homeland and Liberty. This banner was raised in the Greek Revolution of 1821 against the Turks.

This picture depicts Bishop Germanos raising the flag and the battle cry of "Freedom or Death", encouraging all Greek patriots to help win their freedom over the Ottoman empire.
This photo is now located in the Agia Lavra Monastery Museum

The relics that can be venerated at this monastery is amazing! Some of them include the icon made by St. Luke, a piece of the True Cross, skulls of the two monastic founders Simeon and Theodorus, holy relics of St. Haralambos St. Effrosyne, St. Stephen, St. Minas and St. Nicholas the Young and a gospel written in the 12th century.

A terrific book describing in detail the history of Kalavryta and Mega Spileo monastery is called Kalavryta: Land of monuments, heroes and saints. Check your local library for a copy.

I'll be posting more on another monastery they visited, in my father-in-law's village soon...