The Pilgrim’s Guide to the Holy Monastery of Agia Paraskevi Pounta, Epirus

Welcome, fellow travelers and pilgrims, to the green, whisper-soft hills of Epirus in northwestern Greece. If your spiritual journey takes you through the sweeping landscapes near Parga, Paramythia, or the historic paths of Filiates and Giromeri, there is a profound, deeply sacred destination you must experience. Hidden between the villages of Chochla and Kanalaki, the Holy Monastery of Saint Paraskevi Pounta (Agia Paraskevi Pountas) stands as a towering beacon of faith, miraculous healing, and deep peace.

Ecclesiastically belonging to the Holy Metropolis of Paramythia, Filiates, Giromeri, and Parga, this active women’s monastery is one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in Epirus. For international visitors seeking a journey of deep introspection, stepping onto these grounds offers a raw encounter with early Christian history and the living, breathing presence of monastic devotion. Let us explore this sacred haven together so you can plan a meaningful visit.

The Landscape of Faith: Location and Arrival

Exact Location and How to Arrive

The Holy Monastery of Agia Paraskevi Pounta is situated in the Preveza regional unit of the Epirus region, gracefully positioned between the historic settlements of Chochla and Kanalaki. For international travelers staying in the popular coastal town of Parga, the monastery is roughly a thirty-to-forty-minute drive southeast, moving inland through beautiful olive groves and rolling hills.

If you are navigating from the historic town of Paramythia, you will head south for about thirty-five kilometers along the provincial roads toward Kanalaki. Because public bus options directly to the monastery gates are quite scarce, the most practical approach for foreign pilgrims is to rent a car or hire a local taxi from Parga or Preveza. As you approach the Kanalaki region, clear brown-and-yellow cultural signs pointing toward "Ιερά Μονή Αγίας Παρασκευής Πούντας" will guide you down a tranquil side road leading right to the monastic enclosure.

Parking, Accessibility, and Entry Logistics

Upon arriving at the monastery, you will find a spacious, unpaved open-air parking area located directly outside the main boundary walls. This parking area is completely free of charge and always has ample space for cars and small tour buses. The walking distance from your vehicle to the main entrance gateway is incredibly short—a flat, easy walk of less than fifty meters. The entire interior courtyard is paved and level, making it exceptionally accessible for elderly pilgrims or families traveling with strollers.

International visitors will be relieved to learn that absolutely no permits, advance passes, or official clearance letters from the metropolitan see are required to enter. The sisterhood welcomes all respectful travelers with open arms. Furthermore, there is no entry fee or required donation to visit the grounds or the main church. If you wish to support the monastery’s extensive charitable work and upkeep, you are welcome to leave a voluntary offering in the donation box inside the nave or purchase hand-rolled beeswax candles near the entrance.

Honoring the Sacred Space: Hours and Customary Rules

Opening Hours and Dress Code

The monastery keeps structured hours to balance the influx of pious pilgrims with the sisterhood's strict schedule of prayer and manual labor. The gates are open to the public on a varying weekly schedule: on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, visitors are welcome from 9:00 AM until 2:00 PM. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, the monastery opens from 9:00 AM until 2:00 PM, and then reopens for evening pilgrims from 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM (closing slightly earlier at 7:30 PM during the winter months). The afternoon hours between 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM are treated as absolute quiet hours, during which the gates are closed so the nuns can rest and focus on their spiritual duties.

To honor the sanctity of the space, a traditional Orthodox dress code is strictly observed. Men must wear long trousers and shirts that cover the shoulders completely. Women are asked to wear long, modest skirts or dresses that extend well below the knees, along with tops that provide modest coverage for the shoulders and chest. If you arrive unexpectedly in casual holiday attire while exploring Epirus, the nuns thoughtfully provide clean wrap-around skirts and shawls at the gatehouse for visitors to borrow during their stay.

Photography and Monastic Courtesy

The monastery is a sanctuary of profound quietude, and visitors are expected to maintain an atmosphere of quiet reverence. Please ensure your mobile devices are turned completely silent before passing through the main gate. Loud talking, laughter, and eating inside the courtyard are inappropriate.

Photography is permitted throughout the lush, green open-air courtyard and the external architecture, which beautifully frames the Epirus landscape. However, photography and video recordings are strictly forbidden inside the main church out of deep respect for the holy relics and the prayerful atmosphere. In keeping with traditional monastic etiquette, you must never take photos or videos of the nuns themselves without explicitly asking for and receiving their blessing.

The Spiritual Wellspring: History and Sacred Relics

The Patron Saint and Her Martyrdom Story

This sacred monastery is dedicated entirely to Saint Paraskevi the Right-Martyr, a deeply revered 2nd-century saint who is globally recognized as the heavenly protector of the eyes and eyesight. Born in Rome to Christian parents, she distributed her entire wealth to the poor following their passing and traveled extensively, preaching the Gospel of Christ.

According to local Epirus tradition, her final arrest and martyrdom occurred precisely on this very soil during the Roman persecutions. Local accounts tell us that when she was sentenced to beheading, she knelt in fervent prayer against a large stone. The local tradition states that when the executioner’s sword fell, her uncorrupted body was buried on this exact spot by pious local Christians, making it a place of immense spiritual power.

Founding Date and Historical Significance

While the exact founding date of the original monastic complex remains lost to time, historical records indicate that a vibrant monastic presence has existed on this site since at least the late Byzantine and post-Byzantine eras, likely solidifying in the 16th century. It quickly grew into a wealthy and influential spiritual center for Epirus, playing a monumental role in preserving Greek culture and faith during the difficult centuries of Ottoman rule.

Remarkably, up until the year 1913, the monastery funded and operated a prestigious local higher school (Scholarchio) to educate the children of the surrounding villages. Over the centuries, the complex faced numerous raids, plunderings, and fires, but it was lovingly revived each time. The current modern flourishing of the monastery is largely credited to the tireless restoration efforts of the late Metropolitan Titus of Paramythia and the absolute devotion of the resident sisterhood, who transformed the war-torn ruins into a paradise of blooming flowers and spiritual life.

The Tomb, the Stone, and Sacred Treasures

The central church, known as the Katholikon, is a beautiful three-aisled structure uniquely dedicated to Saint Paraskevi, Saint Phokas, and Saint Panteleimon. The absolute focal point for every pilgrim rests in the right aisle of the church, where the ancient, sacred tomb of Saint Paraskevi is preserved. Embedded directly next to her holy tomb is the large, smooth oval stone upon which, according to centuries of tradition, the saint leaned her head and rested her hands while praying at the moment of her beheading.

Pilgrims frequently lean down to touch and kiss this stone, and countless historical testimonies recount miraculous healings of blindness, eye ailments, and severe psychological distress occurring right at this spot. The church also houses a collection of exquisite post-Byzantine icons, beautifully detailed wood carvings, and fragments of other holy relics kept in ornate silver reliquaries.

Monastic Life and Liturgical Traditions

Community, Hospitality, and Accommodations

Today, Agia Paraskevi Pounta is home to a dedicated, small community of roughly three to five active Orthodox nuns, led by their Abbess, Monachi Parthenia. The level of hospitality here is deeply genuine, warm, and comforting. While the sisters spend much of their day in solitary prayer and executing heavy manual chores, they are deeply hospitable to international visitors. A nun or a helper is usually stationed near the candle desk to offer a traditional Greek welcome, often consisting of a piece of Turkish delight (loukoumi) and a glass of cold water. Respectful, brief conversations regarding the history of the monastery and the miracles of Saint Paraskevi are warmly permitted.

Please note that due to its small size and the private, cloistered nature of the sisterhood's quarters, the monastery does not offer overnight guesthouse accommodations for the general public. Pilgrims looking to stay in the area can easily find excellent hotels, traditional villas, and guesthouses in the nearby town of Kanalaki (only a few minutes away) or along the coastal paradise of Parga.

Daily Services and the Great Feast Day

The liturgical rhythm of the monastery is beautiful and ancient. The Divine Liturgy is celebrated regularly on Sunday mornings from 7:00 AM until roughly 10:00 AM. On weekdays, the nuns gather for morning Matins at 6:30 AM, and the peaceful evening Vespers service is chanted daily at 5:00 PM in the winter and 6:00 PM in the summer. Foreign visitors are always welcome to stand respectfully in the back of the nave during these services to absorb the mesmerizing Byzantine chanting.

The crown jewel of the monastery’s year is July 26th, the official Feast Day of Saint Paraskevi. On the eve of the feast, thousands of pilgrims from all over Greece and the Balkans stream into the monastery for the Great Hierarchical Vespers. Many pilgrims choose to spend the entire night in prayer around the courtyard or near her tomb. On the morning of July 26th, a beautiful, festive Divine Liturgy takes place, followed by a sacred procession of her icon. It is an unforgettable experience filled with deep theological beauty, traditional Epirotic character, and intense spiritual emotion.

The Monastic Shop and Local Exploration

Before concluding your visit—for which you should budget roughly one full hour to completely take in the church, tomb, and grounds—make sure to visit the charming little monastery shop. The sales directly support the sisterhood's daily living costs and restoration work. Here, you can purchase authentic icons painted by the nuns, hand-tied wool prayer ropes, pure incense, and locally harvested honey. They also produce incredible natural beeswax ointments infused with organic Epirus herbs, which make wonderful, practical gifts.

To extend your pilgrimage, you can explore several fascinating landmarks nearby. Just a short drive away lies the famous Necromanteion of Acheron, the ancient Greek temple of the oracle of the dead, as well as the legendary Acheron River itself, famous for its crystal-clear turquoise waters and stunning hiking paths. You can also journey further north into Thesprotia to visit the historic Holy Monastery of Giromeri near Filiates, creating an incredibly rich, diverse route through the timeless faith, history, and natural beauty of Epirus.