Panagia Elonis monastery, Greek Orthodox monastery in South Kynouria, Greece
Panagia Elonis is a Greek Orthodox monastery in the mountainous region of South Kynouria, built into a passage carved into red rock. Its buildings are arranged across several levels on the hillside and connected by narrow corridors.
The first written records of the monastery date to 1730, during the period of Ottoman rule in the region. Since then it has changed function and the religious community living there has also changed over time.
The monastery houses religious objects that span different periods and reflect the spiritual practice of the Greek Orthodox community. Visitors can see in the interior spaces how monks and nuns carry out their daily prayers and structure their monastic life here.
The monastery is reached by climbing stairs that lead to two entrances and connect the different levels of the complex. Comfortable shoes are a good idea since the ground is uneven and some corridors are narrow.
In 1971 the monastery changed from a men's community to a women's one, which is relatively rare in the history of Greek monasteries. It has been run and inhabited by nuns ever since.
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