Voulkano Monastery, Orthodox monastery on Mount Ithomi, Messene, Greece

Voulkano Monastery is an Orthodox monastery on Mount Ithomi, positioned at an elevation of about 359 meters. The site features a central church with traditional design and offers views across the Messinian plains.

Tradition links the monastery's founding to iconodule monks around 725, though a late 13th–early 14th century origin is also considered. It was originally on the summit of Mount Ithomi, at the site of the ancient sanctuary of Zeus Ithomatas. In 1625 the monks moved downslope due to remoteness and lack of water, and the present church was built in 1701. It was burned by Ibrahim Pasha's troops in 1825 and reoccupied in 1828.

The monastery is dedicated to venerating a miraculous icon that believers revere during religious ceremonies and that holds central importance for the local community. This devotion shapes daily life and ritual practices at the site.

The monastery stands at 359 m on Mount Ithomi, a short distance from Ancient Messene and Valyra, between the villages of Valyra and Mavrommati. The old site on the summit and the present complex lower down are separate locations, so check which one you are heading for. Two monks lived there permanently as of 2022.

Directly beside the monastery lie the ruins of an ancient Zeus temple where animal sacrifices took place in antiquity. This layering of Christian and ancient history at the same location is notable.