Meteora
Meteora is a unique geological phenomenon located in Thessaly and specifically in the prefecture of Trikala. In particular, it rises above the city of Kalambaka, causing the awe of visitors with its imposing appearance, at the same time being the 2nd most important monastic community in Greece after Mount Athos.
The monasteries of Meteora are:
Their creation is a point of contention among geologists as there are many theories as to how they came about, with the dominant theory of the German geologist Alexander Phillipson who visited the area at the end of the 19th century. Based on this theory, during the time when Thessaly was covered by the sea in this area, there were the mouths of a river which transported and deposited materials there. Over time, the accumulation of a huge volume of rocks formed a calcareous deltaic cone, which, after geological changes it underwent and after the waters receded from Thessaly through the strait of Tempe, took its current form. This development is confirmed in parts by the historians of Ancient Greece as there is no mention of the existence of this unique geological formation.
The earliest historical records date back to the last 1000 years, during which this rugged and inaccessible landscape sheltered many people during raids by various conquerors. So it was this security that urged the first ascetics who sought there their mental peace and tranquility away from the worldly. According to historians, the first ascetic was Barnabas in 950-970 AD, who founded the hermitage of the Holy Spirit. Monasticism at the beginning was not organized and the monks prayed in small chapels also known as prayer halls.
The first recorded place of collective worship of God was the temple of Theotokos or "first" and references to this specific temple exist from the 12th century. The first monastery is founded after 200 years and is I.M. Sotiros from Saint Athanasios, giving the rock on which it was founded the name meteoro, a name which characterized the rest of the rocks as well. The monastic community reached its peak in the 14th-15th centuries. during which we had the foundation of other monasteries which reached 24 in number. Worthy of mention is the way the monasteries were built, as the lifting of the materials was done by various methods such as beams wedged in cracks or lifting with a net and all this in a suspension of several tens of meters from the surface of the earth, as a result of which the monks themselves risked many times and their very lives. From the 17th century and then the monastic community declined and out of the 24 monasteries, 6 remained, which for 600 years uninterruptedly continued the work of Christianity.
Dress code
Monasteries have a strict dress code. Men should wear trousers and shirts with sleeves, women should wear long skirts.
Convents, in case of negligence, can provide skirts for women as well as pants for men who wear short pants. Respect the dress code or you risk not being allowed to enter the monasteries.
