With no doubt the Monastery of Panagia Faneromeni is the greatest religious centre on the island of Lefkada. As it is located on a hill above Lefkada town, it gives you a fantastic view to the capital and the opposite coasts (Aghios Ioannis, Gira, and Castle), especially when the atmosphere is clear.
The monastery was built in 1634 on the site of an ancient temple dedicated to Artemis, the goddess of hunting. Apostle's Paul students Herodion and Sosion had preached Christianity some centuries ago.
Then, in a miraculous way the temple started to collapse and a new orthodox temple had begun to take shape. After that, some Holy Fathers made the first monk cells and extended the temple. However, the Monastery during the Venetian domination, was strongly influenced by the Zakinthian architecture.
Searching for the name "Faneromeni", tradition says that the first icon of Panagia revealed as a "God made icon" (work of God, a true miracle), to the monk and hagiographer Kallistos, after his prayer. "Faneromeni" took the name from the greek verb "φανερώνω" which means "reveal". Anesis Village Studios and Apartments is located only a few minutes from the Monastery.
The current icon of Panagia is just a copy of the old icon. The iconostasis of the Monastery was made by various artists, such as brothers Christodoulos and Thomas Zographos,, Efstathios Prosalentis junior, Leonidas Sideris.
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