Amorgos Island

The Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, perched 300 meters above the Aegean Sea on Amorgos Island, is a revered Greek Orthodox sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary, the island’s patron saint. Founded in the 9th century, its origins are tied to a miraculous icon from Hozova, Palestine, believed to have arrived at Agia Anna beach during the Byzantine Iconoclasm. According to tradition, monks fleeing persecution or divine intervention brought the icon, prompting the monastery’s construction. Emperor Alexios I Komnenos renovated it in 1088, granting it stauropigian rights, cementing its spiritual significance.

Carved into a sheer cliff, the monastery’s striking architecture blends human ingenuity with nature. Its 40-meter-long, 5-meter-wide structure spans eight levels, connected by narrow staircases hewn into the rock. The whitewashed façade, visible only from the sea, houses over 100 rooms, including monks’ cells, a chapel, and spaces for sacred relics like the 15th-century Panagia Portaitissa icon and Gennadio’s Prayer (1619).

As a pilgrimage site, Hozoviotissa draws devotees seeking spiritual connection. The annual feast on November 21, celebrating the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, attracts crowds who climb 271 steps to honor the icon, which is carried to villages yearly. Pilgrims experience a serene atmosphere, with incense, monk portraits, and offerings of psimeni raki and loukoumi fostering hospitality. The cliffside setting and Aegean views enhance its sacred aura. Maintained by a few monks, the monastery remains a living testament to faith, its architecture and relics embodying centuries of devotion.

For additional information:

• http://www.amorgos-island.gr/en/monastery/
• https://www.greeka.com/cyclades/amorgos/sightseeing/amorgos-hozoviotissa-monastery/