Monastery of the Holy Fathers (Chios, Greece)
The Monastery of the Holy Fathers, also the Cloister of Aghion Pateron, is a monastery of the island of Chios in the Aegean Sea near Turkey. It was founded by St. Pachomios of Chios in 1868.
History
The origin of the Monastery of the Holy Fathers is traced back to the sixteenth century, to a cave hermitage established by three ascetics, who later became instrumental in the founding of Nea Moni Monastery on Chios. In 1688, the cave hermitage was given to the monk Jeremiah of Crete, who reconstructed the site into a monastery with the addition of a church and cells.
In 1868, the Elder Pachomios from the village of Elatia, asked for and received the unused buildings. These, he renovated and with later construction became the Monastery of the Holy Fathers of today which is the largest monastic community on the island of Chios. During the decades of the first half of the twentieth century, the monastery was known for its hagiography.
Today, four monks occupy the cloister. The monastery, which follows the Julian calendar, receives many visitors and pilgrims.