The miracle of the Meteora monasteries, which must be seen with your own eyes
Meteors are a true miracle, you will understand this immediately when you see the space rocks of Thessaly with your own eyes from afar. As you get closer to the monasteries, the effect of the scenery can be so stunning that you wonder if this is not a dream.
The beauty of Meteora can only be felt and felt directly. This is the case when photos and videos show, but do not give the emotions that you experience, standing with trembling knees on a flat high stone surface, at an altitude of 600 meters above sea level, and wondering how you could live without seeing such places. Here time stops, here you want to stay and soar in the air.
Perhaps, the monks thought the same way back in the 10th century, starting to create a monastic center, and supporting its development to this day. The monk Barnabas is considered the first hermit of these places. In the middle of the 10th century, he began to build the skete of the Holy Spirit, from which the history of the monastic movement began, and continued with the construction of the skete of Stagi, when the local community became more self-organized. One of the turning points was the strengthening and creation of new monasteries in the 14th century. This was initiated by the monk Athanasios, who successfully sought to transform monastic life, following the example of Athos. The history of the life of the monasteries was full of dramatic events, both internal and external, associated with wars, attacks and robberies.
Access to the monastery buildings is unique. Today, visitors can climb them using roads and steps carved into the stone, which appeared only in the 1920s. Until that time, there were hinged ladders and nets, with the help of the latter, novices could lift each other, building materials and products upstairs.
At different times, there were 24 monasteries, of which 6 are now active. Meteora is on the list of world heritage sites and is protected by UNESCO. You can see monastic foundations and life today, study history in Orthodox artifacts and relics and pray at ancient icons in 4 male (Transfiguration, Holy Trinity, Varlaam, St. Nicholas Anapavsas) and 2 female (Rusana or St. Barbara and St. Stephen ) monasteries.
You can see a large number of unique icons and jewels in the Transfiguration Cathedral. There is also a manuscript with the date 861. In the monastery of Varlaam, you can see samples of wooden carved crosses and the Gospel of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine VII. In the monastery of St. Barbara, ancient church frescoes, expressive in execution and content, have been preserved.
If you are going to visit the Meteor monasteries, you should remember that they are open to guests at certain hours and depending on the season. Hospitality towards a large flow of tourists and monasticism are in harmony here and miraculously coexist. After getting acquainted with the monastic life, you can go to Kalambaka, a city located a couple of kilometers from Meteora, have a delicious meal in a tavern and take a walk, still surrounded by fantastic landscapes that will forever remain in your memory and soul.
