The Monastery of Panagia Vagioneas, also known as the Monastery of Panagia Pantanassa Vagioneas, is a religious site located in the Vagioneas area near Anatoli, Ierapetra, Crete. Dedicated to the Life-Giving Spring (Zoodochos Pigi), the monastery is situated in a remote agricultural area characterized by greenhouses.
Originally a women’s monastery, the only surviving structure today is the small church. This church is the result of an 1860 addition to a single-aisled cave church. This addition is a small, square narthex topped with a pyramid-shaped dome. Unfortunately, no murals remain inside the church. The portable icons that once adorned the iconostasis have been relocated to the parish church of Anatoli.
The monastery was founded in 1398 by the prominent hieromonk Neilos Damilas (or Ntamilas) from the Monastery of Karkasion. Damilas was known for his anti-Catholic sentiments and passionate sermons. The monastery housed a significant school that operated according to the rules established by Damilas himself. Like the Monastery of Karkasion, the Monastery of Panagia Vagioneas declined relatively quickly after Damilas’ death. Its properties were transferred to the Patriarchate of Alexandria until 1870 when they were returned to the community of Anatoli.
Key Points:
- Construction Period: Original cave church – 1398 or earlier; Narthex addition – 1860
- Location: Vagioneas, near Anatoli, Ierapetra, Crete
- Historical Significance: Founded by the influential hieromonk Neilos Damilas; Housed a significant school
- Current Status: Only the church survives; No longer an active monastery
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