The Monastery of Saint John the Forerunner is 7 miles away from the city of Serres, in Northern Greece. The monastery was founded by Saint Ioannikios, an athonite monk, at the end of the 13th Century.
The Serbian armies partially destroyed the monastery in 1345.
Saint Gennadius Scholarius, Patriarch of Constantinople, retired here between 1457 and 1462. The school of the Monastery was famous and the library was so rich in manuscripts that the monastery was called "of the Grammarians".
In 1917, the Bulgarian Army pillaged the monastery, stealing over 200 manuscripts, 1800 old printed books and other treasures, now found in museums all over Europe.
After the Second World War, the monastery became deserted. It got repopulated by nuns in 1986. In 2010, part of it burned to the ground. The reconstruction work still continues to day.
Pavilion with old fountain with holy water, now serving as flowerpot
Old inscription
Old relief
There are many springs redirected to the monastery courtyard
The main church (the katholikon) is devoted to Saint John the Forerunner
The narthex of the katholikon
The narthex of the katholikon. Carved detail.
The narthex
Postbyzantine fresco from the narthex: The Life giving Spring
Postbyzantine fresco: The Last Judgement
The entrance to the nave
Inside the main church
Jesus Christ the Saviour, icon fom the iconostasis
Mother of God, icon fom the iconostasis
Fresco from the main church
Christ before Pontius Pilate, fresco from the main church
The Burial of Christ, fresco from the main church
Saints Archangels Michael and Gabriel, old tempera on wood
The courtyard behind the main church
The bell tower
The bell tower. The horologe
A smaller church
Another small church
In front of a kelli
Old doors
Unrestored area
Area under restoration
The courtyard
The museum of the monastery is rich, despise the pillage of 1917
Ecclesiastical items from the museum
Lampads
Old kitchenware
More kitchenware
Bells and cowbells
Old chests and flatirons
Bakery tools
The main entrance of the monastery
The monastery can be visited for free, everyday from 8:00 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00
