The Monastery of the Holy Trinity - destroyed more than once, but always recovered from the ashes and keeps the artifacts of ancient eras.
This monastery rises just outside the town of Kalambaka, the unofficial capital of Meteora. It is surrounded by mountain peaks, the waterway of Pinios and a huge forested area. This unique landscape is impossible to capture on photos. You have to see it with your own eyes, because the best parts of Meteora, which undoubtedly includes the Monastery of the Holy Trinity, are the natural masterpieces of Greece.
This monastery is rightly considered one of the most inaccessible to the surrounding area. In order to get to the top of the 400 meters high cliff where the monastery is located you have to travel by cable car.
A small cableway cradle takes the traveler to the monastery. There is also a stone staircase leading to the artifacts of the monastery, which has 140 steps.
But separated from the world by air and steep cliffs, the monastery, even in the 21st century, is surrounded by silence and tranquility. This is one of the best places on earth for man to be one with nature and God.
The monastery of the Holy Trinity was founded no later than 1362. Although there is information that there were earlier buildings of monks-hermits on the top of the mountain.
Tradition says that the monastery of the Holy Trinity was founded in 1438 by the monk Dometius. Nothing is known about the legendary founder of the monastery except his name. Legend tells us that it was he who was able to organize the construction of the monastery.
In an ancient manuscript dating back to 1362, the monastery is already mentioned, along with the Great Meteora. That is, the first constructions were indeed erected much earlier.
In the 15th century was built katholikon, which was painted no later than 1741 by the efforts of Priest Anthony and his brother Nicholas under Metropolitan Stagon Theophanes. The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is the jewel of the monastery. Near the edge of the cliff is a balcony of the cathedral. From this place opens up a magnificent landscape of nature and the nearby monasteries of Meteora.
The iconographers Ioan Rizos and Athanasios' works of authorship even today amaze with the brightness of their colors and the originality of their images and their closeness to ordinary people. These iconographers, representatives of the so-called Cretan school, created the unrivaled atmosphere of the cathedral.
When traveling up to the monastery, not far from the entrance to the monastery, one can stop to visit the extraordinary, carved directly into the rock, Temple of St. John the Baptist. The temple was opened in 1682. The monk Nikodim is credited with the construction and painting of the temple.
Today's ensemble of the monastery consists of an ancient chapel, an ancient castle, a vaulted altar, cells of monks and a refectory. Each building of the monastery is a piece of the rich history of this holy place.
The monastery library, once very rich, was unfortunately lost during the turbulent wars of the 20th century. The unique wooden iconostasis did not survive either. Part of the collection was transferred to other monasteries of Meteora. But the artifacts that remained are unique. One of the artifacts is a silver-covered Gospel, created in 1539 by Venetian masters and considered to be a holy relic of Orthodoxy. Wars have destroyed the monastery, leaving it without monks. But each time, even after severe trials of fate, the monastery was restored. The last time was in the 70s of last century.
Today the monastery is an oasis of life and spiritual work among the formidable cliffs. Here is built a small garden, there is a museum and functioning temples. Several monks live permanently, who maintain the holy fire of faith in this ancient Orthodox monastery.
The monastery is open to visitors: In winter (1/11-31/03) 9:00-16:00; in summer (1/04-31/10) 9:00-17:00.
Closed: Wednesday (winter), Thursday (winter and summer)
From Kalambaki by cab or on foot
