Saint Marina Monastery

The Holy Monastery of Saint Marina in Andros

The Monastery of Saint Marina is one of the most important pilgrimages in Greece and is located in the area of the village of Apoikia north of Andros Town. It is dedicated to the Great Martyr Saint Marina of the 3rd century AD who is loved by all Greeks. Its foundation dates back to 1325 A.D. when in the area of Literes, Saint Marina miraculously presents herself to an old ascetic and suggests that he should find her "hidden icon" in a slit of a rock, as it happened. Emperor Emmanuel II Komnenos helps financially and thus the Holy Monastery of Saint Marina of Andros is founded.

In the 16th century, the monastery was burned three times during pirate raids losing the old glory and in 1743 there are only five elderly monks in the monastery.

Then Saint Marina intervenes and with a new miracle brings to her monastery the monk Sofronios, who under constant miracles and visions remains and selling his property in the Peloponnese, renovates the monastery and converts it into a nunnery in 1746. Then many noblewomen of Andros dress the Angelic Shape and the monastic number reached one hundred nuns. The glamour of the Holy Monastery of Saint Marina in Andros, as well as the famous handicrafts of the silversmithing, engraving and silk workshops, then spread its fame everywhere.

In 1883 the Holy Monastery of Saint Marina was forced to close and was converted into a stable by decree of the Bavarian regents. The miraculous icon of the saint was bought at a forced auction by the historical family Empirikos who save it. This family places the icon in the Church of the Virgin Mary in Chora of Andros, where it remained for 146 years.

Another miracle for the Monastery of Saint Marina in Andros

In 1975 Metropolitan Dorotheos, crossing the ruins of the monastery, begged his deacon to restore it. The former Athonite monk Kyprianos refuses. The same evening, however, the Saint appears in a vision, telling him that she and her sisters must return to live in the Monastery. From the very next day begins the modern restoration for the Monastery of Saint Marina in Andros.

After a persistent effort of Kyprianos the icon returned from Chora of Andros to the monastery in 1976. At the same time, the monk also locates the holy water indicated to him by Saint Marina in a vision in his sleep. In the last decade Saint Marina has performed many miracles, some widely known and others not.

The Monastery of Saint Marina in Andros celebrates on July 17, attracting thousands of pilgrims.