Holy Dependency of Hosia Eirini Chrysovalantou, Evia: A Place of Miraculous Hope

Dearest pilgrim, receive a most blessed and healing welcome! I am profoundly honored to guide you to the serene sanctuary of the Holy Dependency of Hosia Eirini Chrysovalantou (Saint Irene of Chrysovalantou), often located near Chalkida or Nea Artaki in Central Evia. Please note that while the main monastery dedicated to this Saint is famous in Lykovrisi, Athens, this site on Evia serves as a spiritual extension, a place of prayer dedicated to the revered 9th-century Abbess. Your pilgrimage here is an opportunity to seek the intercessions of a Saint especially known for her miracles of conception and healing, and to contemplate a life of deep monastic devotion.

Essential Information for Pilgrims

Your visit to this active monastic community, which functions as a nuns' convent, requires profound reverence for the Saint and deep respect for the spiritual discipline of the resident community.

Opening Hours and Quiet Hours

The Holy Dependency maintains a schedule that supports the community's primary duty of prayer.

• Daily Visitation: As a dependency, hours can be slightly flexible or less fixed than a main monastery, but generally follow the same pattern. Expect the site to be open in the morning, often from nine in the morning until one in the afternoon, and then again in the late afternoon, typically from four in the afternoon until sunset.

• Quiet Hour (Hesychia): A strict period of quiet hour and seclusion is maintained in the mid-afternoon, generally between one in the afternoon and four in the afternoon. Absolute silence must be observed on the grounds during this window.

Dress Code

A traditional and strict modest dress code is mandatory for all pilgrims. Shoulders, arms, and knees must be fully and modestly covered for all visitors. For gentlemen, this requires long trousers and sleeved shirts. For ladies, long skirts or dresses and sleeved tops are essential, and out of deep respect, women are expected to cover their heads with a scarf upon entering the Catholikon (main church).

Exact Location and How to Get There

While the main monastery is in Attica, the Dependency on Evia is often located near the coastal town of Nea Artaki, which is just north of Chalkida in Central Evia.

• How to Get There: Access is primarily by private or rental car from Chalkida, following the provincial roads towards Nea Artaki and then the well-marked local signage for the Moni or Metochi (Dependency) Agias Eirinis Chrysovalantou. The site is easily accessible from the capital city of Evia.

Parking Availability and Walking Distance

Parking availability is generally provided in a designated area outside the dependency complex. The site is usually small and compact, and the walking distance to the main church and the spiritual areas is typically very short and easily accessible.

Whether a Permit is Required

A special entry permit is not required for general pilgrim visitation. The nuns uphold the traditional Orthodox principle of spiritual hospitality (Filoxenia).

Patron Saint and Spiritual Story

The Dependency is dedicated to Hosia Eirini (Saint Irene of Chrysovalantou), who lived in the 9th century and served as the Abbess of the Chrysovalantou Monastery in Constantinople.

• The Spiritual Story: Saint Irene, born into an aristocratic family in Cappadocia, chose the monastic life over marriage to an Emperor. She became known for her deep asceticism, powerful spiritual gifts, and especially her gift of foresight. The most famous story associated with her involves receiving three miraculous apples from Paradise, brought to her by a sailor who had received them from the Apostle John himself. These apples symbolize the sweetness of Paradise and are linked to her power to grant miracles of conception. Couples unable to have children frequently pray to her, and the monastery often distributes blessed apples for this purpose.

Founding Date and Historical Significance

A dependency (Metochi) is a smaller monastic community dependent on a larger, usually more ancient, monastery.

• Historical Significance: The establishment of the Hosia Eirini Dependency on Evia is relatively modern, reflecting the great resurgence in the Saint's veneration in the later 20th and 21st centuries. Its founding signifies the spread of the fervent devotion to the Saint from the main monastery in Athens, providing a local place of prayer and spiritual assistance for the people of Evia and Central Greece.

Important Icons, Relics or Miraculous Items

The most sacred treasure of the dependency is the revered Icon of Hosia Eirini Chrysovalantou, which usually depicts the Saint holding the three apples. The icon is the focal point of pilgrim veneration, particularly for those seeking her healing and intercession for conception. The dependency often maintains the tradition of blessing apples for the faithful.

Number of Monks/Nuns Currently Living There

The Holy Dependency of Hosia Eirini Chrysovalantou functions as an active monastic community, typically a nuns' convent. It is maintained by a small community of nuns responsible for the daily services and welcoming pilgrims.

Level of Hospitality and Whether Conversations are Allowed

The level of hospitality (Filoxenia) is offered with warmth, spiritual simplicity, and deep kindness by the sisterhood. Quiet conversation is allowed only when addressed to one of the nuns for a blessing, spiritual advice, or necessary inquiries about the dependency. All interactions must be brief, respectful, and conducted in a hushed tone, honoring the monastic silence.

Guesthouse Availability and Reservation Needs

Guesthouse availability is typically extremely limited or non-existent at a smaller dependency. Visitors are strongly advised to secure lodging in the nearby town of Nea Artaki or the city of Chalkida, which offers a wide range of accommodation options.

Participation in Liturgies or Services

Pilgrims are warmly welcomed to participate in the liturgical services, especially the Divine Liturgy held on Sundays and the Saint's Feast Day. Many faithful attend to offer their prayers and receive the blessed apple.

Days and Hours of Services

The schedule of Days and hours of services is posted locally. The Divine Liturgy is always celebrated on Sunday mornings and on all major feast days. The dependency will also celebrate the Paraklesis (Supplicatory Canon) to Hosia Eirini frequently, as she is greatly petitioned by the faithful.

Entrance Fee or Recommended Donation

There is no mandatory entrance fee to enter the dependency. A voluntary recommended donation is customary and deeply appreciated, supporting the sisterhood and the maintenance of the sacred complex.

Photography Rules

Photography is strictly forbidden inside the main church, especially of the revered icon, and inside the private monastic buildings and cells. Respectful exterior photos of the courtyards and the immediate setting are generally permitted.

Monastery Shop and Products

The dependency maintains a small shop or display area. Here, pilgrims can obtain traditional monastic products such as small icons of Hosia Eirini, incense, candles, and often the blessed apples for which the Saint is famous.

Total Time Needed for a Complete Visit

Allow approximately thirty minutes to one hour for a complete, reverent visit. This provides sufficient time to venerate the Holy Icon, light a candle, and receive the blessing.

Nearby Chapels, Paths, Viewpoints or Landmarks

• Nea Artaki: The nearby coastal town offering amenities, dining, and a seaside environment.

• Chalkida City: The capital of Evia, known for the unique tidal phenomenon in the Euripus Strait.

• Drosia: Another nearby village offering local flavor.

Behaviour Rules for Visitors

Pilgrims must strictly adhere to the dress code; maintain silence and deep respect within the church and holy areas; avoid loud conversation; silence all mobile phones; and respect the privacy and peaceful life of the sisterhood.

Feast Day and What Happens During the Celebration

The major Feast Day of the dependency is the commemoration of Hosia Eirini Chrysovalantou, celebrated annually on July the twenty-eighth (Gregorian Calendar).

• Celebration: The feast is marked by a Great Vespers on the eve followed by a magnificent Divine Liturgy on July the twenty-eighth. The celebration draws numerous faithful, and the traditional blessing and distribution of the Saint's apples is the spiritual focal point of the day.

May the intercession of Hosia Eirini Chrysovalantou bring grace and fulfillment to your heart and life.