The Holy Monastery of John the Forerunner in Veria

The history of the Verian hermitage is lost in the depths of centuries. In the book of Acts of the Holy Apostles there is evidence that in the area of Imatia the holy Gospel was preached by the Apostle Paul. Judging by the accuracy of the descriptions - this is confirmed by scientists - the Apostle Luke passed here, following his teacher.

Folk tradition absorbed the narrative of the stay of the Apostle Paul, creating beautiful legends. In Pieria, where Paul went through the mountains to the sea, where he stopped to rest, sticking the staff into the ground, later blossomed the word evangels. One of these monasteries, which grew up thanks to the staff and the word of the apostolic, was the holy abode of John the Forerunner. Here St. Clement of Ohrid (a follower of Cyril and Methodius) became a monk, Gregory Palamas himself, St. Theon of Thessaloniki, Dionysius of Olympia, Anthony of Veria, settled in one of the caves.

The monastery keeps holy relics - particles of the incorruptible remains of saints, which are the most valuable relic of any monastery: one of the paloui of the right hand of John the Baptist, the honest head of Clement of Ohrid, St. Charalampius, Tryphon, the holy Great Martyr Barbara, the relics of Saints Cosmas and Domian, Cyrus and John, John Chrysostom, Dionysius the Areopagite, Artemius Stratilatus, the Apostle of Luke etc.

During this pilgrimage trip, we also visit the tribune of the Apostle Paul in the city of Veria, the temple of Our Lady of Sumel, where there is a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary, painted by the Apostle Luke during her life, a life-giving source.

What goes in is a car. guide

What doesn't come in is food.