Pilgrimage of Panagia Soumela -Thessaloniki- Grave of saind PAISIOS

Day 1: We leave at 07:00 in the morning from Halkida, where with an intermediate stop for our essential coffee , we'll continue for a magical two-day that will fascinate you. Our first stop is Panagia Soumela where you will find in village Kastania of Mount Vermion, great spiritual center and point reference of Pontic Hellenism. The monastery was founded by initiative of the doctor and writer Filon Ktenidis (Trapezounda 1889 – Thessaloniki 1963). to its new location in 1951 after the disaster it suffered in Pontus in 1922. The miraculous icon, the work of the Evangelist Luke, transferred to Greece, after the mediation of E. Venizelos. It was initially kept in the Byzantine museum and after the erection of the church transferred here. There we will have time to worship and tour the rooms of the monastery. Then we will head to the beautiful Thessaloniki, Arrival and accommodation at the hotel and will enjoy our dinner.

Day 2 After our breakfast and our coffee at the hotel we will start our journey to the holy Monastery of St. John the Theologian in Sweeper. The Holy Monastery is dedicated to Saint John the Theologian and to Saint Arsenios the Cappadocian. In the Monastery there are the Relics of St. Arsenios of Cappadocia located in its cathedral as well as the tomb of the Elder Paisios. There we will have free time to worship both the tomb of Saint Paisius and the and the relics of Saint Arsenios and admire one of the most beautiful monasteries of Greece. Finally, we leave for Chalkida full of beautiful images and memories from a wonderful 2-days trip!!