Holy Monastery of Agios Ioannis Vazelonos
At the Holy Monastery of Agios Ioannis Vazelonos, you will discover a story that stretches back to the 3rd century AD. The monastery lies on the western slopes of Mount Vermio, approximately 3.5 kilometres north-east of the village of Agios Dimitrios. It is easily accessible by car or bus, via a paved road.
According to tradition, the Patriarchal and Stavropegic Holy Monastery of Agios Ioannis Vazelonos was founded in 270 AD, approximately 40 kilometres south of Trabzon. It is considered the oldest monastery in Pontus, one of the oldest in the Christian world, and the founding monastery of the Holy Monastery of Panagia Soumela in Pontus. Its name derives from a corruption of the word ‘Zavoulon’. Over the centuries, the monastery suffered repeated destruction, mainly at the hands of the Persians and the Turks. In 490 AD, it was completely destroyed by the Persians, who massacred all 400 monks living there. It was re-established in the 6th century at a nearby location, next to the hermitage of Prophet Elijah, following the liberation of the eastern territories from Persian rule by Emperor Justinian and his general Belisarius. Throughout the Byzantine and post-Byzantine periods, the monastery played a pivotal role in the religious, intellectual and national life of the Greek community of Pontus, serving as one of the region’s most important spiritual centres. It reached particular prominence during the Empire of Trebizond (1204–1461). During periods of unrest and war, its doors remained open to anyone fleeing persecution, regardless of their religious beliefs or denomination, offering shelter and protection. In 1821, the abbot Chrysanthos helped prevent a massacre of Christians in 40 villages in the Matsouka region. Later, in 1915, during the Armenian Genocide, the monks provided refuge to hundreds of Armenians, saving their lives. The monastery's history is also closely linked to the support it received from emperors of the Komnenian dynasty and Russian tsars, who granted it significant donations and imperial chrysobulls. Of its once extensive archives and five codices, only one has survived. It is now kept at the Museum of Leningrad.The last abbot of the monastery was Archimandrite Panaretos Topalidis. During its destruction in 1922, the then hieromonk and later Archimandrite Dionysios Amarantidis, who was serving as its acting guardian, managed to save the icon depicting the Beheading of St John the Baptist. To protect it, he moved it between several monasteries in the Serres region, as well as the Monastery of Agios Dimitrios in Panorama and the Monastery of the Holy Trinity in Toumba.
In June 1970, the icon was transferred from Serres to Agios Dimitrios in Kozani, with due honours and accompanied by Archimandrite Dionysios Amarantidis. Its arrival marked the beginning of efforts to re-establish the monastery on the western slopes of Mount Vermio. The initiative was undertaken by the Association of St John Vazelon, led by its president of approximately 40 years, Efstathios Panagiotidis. The project received the support of local residents, regional organisations, faithful from across Greece and abroad, as well as numerous benefactors, both large and small. The works included the construction of the Church of St John the Baptist, the building of monks' cells and the development of the necessary facilities.In 1997, the arrival at the monastery of the elderly monk Father Maximos, who served as the Prosmynarios at Iviron Monastery on Mount Athos, breathed new life into the reconstruction efforts. His presence attracted large numbers of pilgrims from all over Greece. Until his passing at Mount Athos, he remained the monastery's most significant benefactor. With the blessing of the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Servia and Kozani, the voluntary work of local residents and financial support from regional organisations and faithful in Greece and abroad, restoration work on the church began in July 2009. The first priority was to address serious water ingress through the roof, followed by the renovation and improvement of the church.
If you visit on 24 June, the day on which the Nativity of St John the Baptist is celebrated, you will have the opportunity to experience the monastery's annual feast day celebrations.
