Manastir Lokova, Greece, July 31, 2025
Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr
The historic Monastery of the Entrance of the Theotokos at Petra Olympus is being returned to the Orthodox Church after a century of government control, marking the end of a unique chapter in Greek ecclesiastical history.
The ancient monastery, which dates back to the 8th century and has operated continuously throughout its long history, will be officially transferred back to the Holy Metropolis of Kitros, Katerini and Platamon on Friday, August 8, 2025—precisely 100 years after it was confiscated by the Greek state on August 8, 1925, reports the Orthodoxia News Agency.
Located in the Pieria region at the foot of Mount Olympus, the Monastery of Panagia Petra has been intimately connected with the spiritual life and history of the area for over twelve centuries. Until the late 19th century, it even served as the seat of the Bishop of Petra.
The monastery played a significant role in Greece’s national liberation struggles and provided spiritual support to the local population throughout the Ottoman period and the formation of the modern Greek state.
The monastery’s transformation began in 1925 when the Greek government exercised eminent domain to convert it into a tuberculosis sanatorium. The Church did not legally challenge this confiscation, recognizing the urgent public health need to care for tuberculosis patients during an era when the disease was a major public health crisis.
Photo: orthodoxianewsagency.gr
The facility later transitioned into a psychiatric hospital, continuing to serve the medical needs of the region until 2004, when the psychiatric services were relocated to a new hospital in Katerini. For nearly eight decades, the monastery grounds served thousands of patients as a place of healing and refuge.
Despite its medical use, the monastery never ceased functioning as a religious institution. The catholicon continued to operate as a monastic church even during the periods when the surrounding buildings housed medical facilities. The monastery was never legally dissolved and maintained its status as a functioning monastery throughout the entire period.
After the psychiatric hospital closed in 2004, the buildings were left to deteriorate. The situation was complicated by the temporary operation of a refugee center on the monastery grounds, which has since been closed.
The return of the monastery has been a long-standing demand of the local community. In 2009, thousands of residents signed a petition supporting its restoration to Church control.
The return became possible through recent Health Ministry legislation that provides for the transfer of the property to the Holy Metropolis of Kitros, Katerini and Platamon for the purpose of reestablishing and operating the monastery.
It’s worth noting that only a small portion of the monastery’s original extensive holdings is being returned. Of the approximately 30,000 acres originally confiscated in 1925, only about 250 acres are being transferred back to the Church. The remaining 29,900 acres will remain with the state and local residents, representing what Church officials describe as a significant contribution by the Church to the broader community.
The official handover ceremony will take place on the evening of August 8, beginning with a Paraklesis to the Theotokos. Elena Sokou, the Prime Minister’s representative in Northern Greece, will present Metropolitan Georgios with the keys to the monastery and the official decree.
Church officials envision the restored monastery serving not only as a center of spiritual life but also as a hub for pilgrimage tourism and cultural activities that will benefit the entire region. The monastery’s return represents the restoration of a vital link between the area’s Byzantine heritage and its contemporary religious life.
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