Holy Monastery of Panagia in Zidani
Passing through the imposing Kamvounia Mountains, near Mikrovalto, it is worth making a stop at the Holy Monastery of Panagia in Zidani, also known as Zidaniótissa. It is one of the most important religious and historical monuments of the region, built within a natural environment that radiates peace and reverence. The history of the monastery is closely linked to the renowned icon of Panagia Zidaniótissa, its most treasured relic. The icon was transferred to Zidani in 1541, after the destruction of a Byzantine church in Servia. It was silver-plated in 1755 by the craftsman Theodoros from Kalarytes, Ioannina, and is believed to have protected the city of Kozani during the influenza pandemic of 1918. Despite the severe trials it endured over time –including destruction by the Ottomans in 1854 and by the Germans in 1943– the monastery was rebuilt and preserved as an important religious and cultural center. Today, it functions as a women’s monastery and serves as a place of prayer and inner peace, attracting many visitors. Every year, on September 8th, the celebration of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, the monastery celebrates with liturgical events and the participation of numerous pilgrims, while on Thomas Sunday the icon is carried in procession from the Church of Saint Constantine to Saint Nicholas in Kozani, continuing a tradition established after the events of the 1918 pandemic.
