Monastery of the Archangel Michael and the beaches of Alike
Not far from the village of Aliki, about 25 km south of Limenas, there is the active convent of the Archangel Michael - the largest and most famous temple on the Greek island of Thassos, built in honor of its patron.
According to legend, the Archangel Michael appeared at this place to the ascetic Luke and carved a source from a stone with the words: "Drink from this source and no longer be afraid of the devil's temptations, but build a temple in my honor on this place, where people will receive spiritual benefit and be healed of diseases forever. " However, there is no source at the temple now.
For a very detailed description of where and how the holy spring disappeared and where it is now, read pravoslavie. ru/orthodoxchurch… (Varvara Kashirina Local Churches).
The road to the source is difficult and dangerous: huge boulders, piles of stones block the road to it. Water from this spring can be taken in the monastery itself. It is poured into small bottles and is accompanied by an inscription that the water itself is priceless, but donations to the brave nuns who obtained it are welcome. So you can buy a small bottle with agiasma - water from a holy spring in the monastery shop.
There were no inscriptions on the bottles with me, but they were closed like factory water bottles. I'm trying to figure out the cost. They show me on the sheets where it is written what can be taken for a donation. I think for a long time what to donate, until I saw how someone simply lowers a coin into the slot of a box located somehow imperceptibly. Now I realized that you can buy at a price that you yourself determine, which I did. True, I don’t know how you can plunge into 30 ml of this agisma and heal.
The temple complex is located in two tiers: at the highest point there is the main temple, a little lower there are two small churches, and even lower there are cells and service premises. The small courtyard of the church and its internal passages are decorated with flowers, oleanders and a vineyard.
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It is believed that the monastery was founded by the monk Luke in 830, although the exact date is not known for certain. The first official written sources mentioning the monastery date back to the end of the 13th century. Today, the Monastery of the Archangel Michael is administered by the Philotheos Monastery from Mount Athos.
The Monastery of the Archangel Michael is located at an altitude of 250 m above sea level on the edge of a steep picturesque cliff. Photo from the Internet
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The holy monastery was built in the form of a fortress. On the territory of the monastery there is the main Katholikon, built in 1834, two small chapels (St. Ephraim and St. Gerasimus), monastic cells and guest rooms, as well as workshops where the nuns are engaged in icon painting, sewing church vestments and embroidery.
The monastery houses many valuable religious relics and important historical documents. The main shrine of the monastery is a part of the "Holy Nail" from the Cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified.
Appropriate clothing is required to enter the monastery. But if it does not comply with their canons, then you will be given a "cover". It turned out that my skirt was slightly see-through, and they gave me a skirt. Everyone was given what they deserved.
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It is forbidden to take pictures inside the monastery. You can only take pictures outdoors. The monastery has a shop where you can buy numerous church paraphernalia, ranging from 50-cent bookmarks and postcards to large icons in a silver setting. There is a lot of literature, there is even an informative book in Russian.
There is a spring near the monastery.
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People stood in line in a room very low and long. I found out that they put candles there. And accordingly, having free time, she began to look back at the landscapes. Mount Athos is clearly visible from the cliff, although it is far away and does not look clear, in a haze.
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At a distance of 5 km from the monastery in an easterly direction, between two bays, there is a village. Alik. There are several attractions here. One of them is the remains of an ancient temple, presumably dating from the 7th century BC. BC, behind which are the remains of an ancient settlement. Another attraction of Alyx is the ancient marble quarries, which go far into the sea with their developments.
We waited a long time for the "carried away" and finally went to the beach in Alik. The bus is on the highway, and we go down to the beach. A small neat cove, small stones, clear water with a difference in color. I walk along the stones with moss for 7-10 meters and understand that there is a barrier reef here. I check what and who is there. Well, compared to Egypt, complete emptiness, although the ships are at anchor and people are diving, maybe the remains of the temple complex.
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There are ruins of ancient buildings near this beach. At the cape is one of the most interesting sights of the island. This is the Sanctuary, which many centuries ago was part of the ancient city. On the threshold of one of the porticos, sailors who lived about two thousand years ago left pictures and inscriptions, mostly of an erotic content. We go to explore, and what's next on the hill. And there are much more - and columns, and porticos, preserved walls, some kind of rocky failure, going into the depths, there, at a certain angle, water is visible. Trees take on a bizarre shape and all this together creates a picture of a beautiful past (or maybe not beautiful). And on the left, a sea of charming color against a background of white marble.
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The tour that I captured in the picture was not taken further, showing them just a little. Another proof that planned crowded excursions are nothing. We rise and find that this is really an excursion object, there are railings, benches for rest, signs. A view of the flooded quarries opens up.
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We pass along the route and go to the second beach, which is quite spacious. There are a lot of people, cafes and other attributes of a civilized beach.
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The end of the beach rests on the tavern, you have to go through the boulders to get there. I went to the road, I see a sign to the beach. What's another one? I'm going. I go to my first beach. At the same time I found out that there is a car camping next to the beach. Moved to first place. And again I went up the hill to the excavations.
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