At the southern ends of the peaks of Mount Helmos, at an altitude of 900 meters, with a unique view towards the artificial lake “Doxa,” nestled amidst a dense forest of oaks, firs, and other deciduous and coniferous trees, proudly stands the Monastery of “Agios Georgios the Slayer.” Officially known as the Holy Monastery of Agios Georgios of Feneos, this is a unique Byzantine monument built in 1693 and protected by a decision of the 6th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities. The monastery was originally founded in the 13th century AD at the location of what is now the chapel of Agios Fanourios, known as the “Old Monastery.” However, frequent floods, culminating in a devastating one in the mid-17th century, forced the monks to relocate the monastery to a higher point, its current location. There, a three-storey, imposing structure was built, which was completely renovated due to a fire in 1754.

From the beginning, it was stavropegic, meaning autonomous and directly under the Ecumenical Patriarchate, to which it sent a candle every year as a sign of submission. The monastery “of the Slayer” is referenced as stavropegic in the catalog of the Patriarchate of Constantinople for the years 1797-1798. The ancient seal of the monastery, housed in the Ecclesiastical Museum of Corinth, bears the inscription “Seal of the Holy and Stavropegic Monastery of Agios Georgios the Slayer in the Peloponnese.” A document from 1797, under Patriarch Gregory V, confirms that the monastery is stavropegic but owes the Patriarchate 150 grosia annually.

The temple is in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by a three-storey complex of cells that make it all vast and magnificent. The basilica-type temple with a dome is divided into the narthex, the main temple where we enter through three doors, and the Holy. The entire temple is adorned with frescoes of rare artistry and meticulous craftsmanship by the painter Panagiotis from Ioannina, as indicated by an inscription, from 1762 to 1768. These are expressive frescoes, vivid representations free from the weight and meaning of earthly life, rendered with vividness. They depict saints, the Virgin Mary and her life, and the life of Christ from infancy, as well as scenes from His martyrdom. A harmony of colors and forms, a sweetness of simple holy faces, pervades everywhere in the depicted saints. The iconographer Panagiotis from Ioannina was influenced by Cretan mentality and decoration but added his personal touch. In the middle of the temple and on the ceiling of the octagonal dome stands the imposing Pantocrator in excellent condition. Beneath the dome hangs the large wooden chandelier, adorned with small images of exquisite artistry, resembling those found in all the great churches of Mount Athos.

Equally remarkable is the carved wooden iconostasis of the temple, adorned with sculpted images and entire representations from the Old and New Testaments. According to the inscription, the iconostasis was carved in 1762 and gilded by the painter Panagiotis from Ioannina. On the western side of the temple, behind the narthex, on the ceiling, there is a trapdoor from which, with a wooden ladder today, one ascends to the so-called “Secret School,” which according to local tradition functioned during the Turkish occupation. Pre-revolutionary abbot Nathanael, himself initiated into the “Friendly Society,” organized and prepared the great uprising of the nation from the Monastery of Agios Georgios, making it a center of the struggle. He had initiated many monks, clergy, and captains, and according to Fotakos, “All the monks catechized the vicinity of the Slayer, and from outside they took care of and prepared all the necessities of the war.” Shortly before the beginning of the Revolution, Papaflessas passed through the monastery on his way to the assembly of Vostitsa in January 1821 and incited the monks and captains of Corinth who gathered there with his fiery speeches. From a document of the monastery, we learn that the Monastery of Agios Georgios of Feneos offered to the Struggle 9,500 grosia, 15 silver brocade, 500 sheep and goats, 15 oxen, 8,000 casks of wine, and 950 loads of wheat. And when the Revolution was endangered by Ibrahim’s advance and the pilgrimage, the Monastery once again stood guard over the struggle for Freedom. The chief marshal of Moria, Theodoros Kolokotronis, made it his headquarters and set up his camp in the Fenos field, organizing defenses for the Great Cave and any other threatened areas and punishing traitors and pilgrims with fire and axe.

Today, the visitor who reaches the Holy Monastery of Agios Georgios will find a tranquil and idyllic landscape, where nothing hints at its revolutionary history, the struggles, the passion for freedom, and the sacrifices made for it. From the exceptional balconies with glass windows that the mansion boasts, one can enjoy, throughout the seasons, an unforgettable spectacle: Lake Doxa in the foreground with the “mouse island” chapel of Agios Fanourios and the entire plateau of Feneos in the background. The dark green slopes of Aroania and the bare rocky peak of Dourdouvana that pierces the sky. The lush and smooth slopes of Ziria and further away the peaks of Saïta and Oligyrtos. In the warm lounge of the guesthouse, the hospitable monks will treat every visitor to their unique dish: fragrant, delicious rose preserve. Always accompanied by cool water and a heartfelt smile, the epitome of hospitality!