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Saint Nicholas Monastery, Spata

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Saint Nicholas Monastery
Μονή Αγίου Νικολάου
Monastery information
Established18th century
Dedicated toSaint Nikolaos
Celebration dateMay 10 (holy relic)
December 6 (saint memory)
Pentecost
DioceseMetropolis of Elis and Olena
Site
LocationSpata, Achaea
CountryGreece
Coordinates37°59′55″N 21°31′47″E / 37.99861°N 21.52972°E / 37.99861; 21.52972

The Saint Nicholas Monastery (Greek: Μονή Αγίου Νικολάου) is a monastery in Spata, Achaea, Greece, that was founded at the end of the 18th century,[1] by a monk of the Monastery of Pammegiston Taxiarchon of Aegialia and of which it was a metochion for several years.

Description

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It celebrates three times a year: on December 6, the day of the saint's memory, on May 10, more solemnly, on the day of the transfer of the holy relic of Saint Nikolaos from Myra, Lycia in Asia Minor (today Turkey) to Bari in Italy, as and on the feast of Pentecost. The monastery is an important historical and religious monument and at the same time a landmark of the region, as well as a pole of attraction for many pilgrims from Achaea, Elis and elsewhere.

On the occasion of the finding of a miraculous icon, which popular tradition places in the years of iconoclasm, a small church was built for the pilgrims at the beginning of the 19th century and later, in 1875, another larger one was built in its place. According to the tradition of Achaea and Elis, pilgrims head towards the pilgrimage of the Saint on the day of the feast of the passage of the relic. According to tradition and various historical sources, in 1087 the holy relic was moved from Myra in Lycia (modern day Turkey) to Bari in Italy where it was deposited on May 20.

Southwest Greece celebrates the passage of the relic on May 10.

Location

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The monastery is located very close to the homonymous village of the Municipal Unit of Larissos of the West Achaea municipality. It belongs ecclesiastically to the Metropolis of Elis and Olena.[2][3] The monastery is located at an altitude of 430 meters on the low slopes of southern Movri.

References

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Sources

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