Holy Monastery of Saint John the Baptist

"This magnificent holy retreat, also called the Women's Hermitage or Convent of Saint John the Baptist, rises above the village of Akritochori, with unsurpassed views of Lake Kerkini and the wetland. A dependency of the Holy Monastery of Xenophon of Mount Athos, the convent was built according to the architectural standards of that holy mountain. Established in 1981, it is a nunnery with over 35 nuns living there. It receives many visitors from both the prefecture of Serres and neighboring prefectures. Its interesting architecture is surrounded by landscaped outdoor areas with grass and trees. The Holy Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, or Timios Prodromos, celebrates on August 29. (The Greek word ""moni"" or ""monastiri"" is used for both a monastery and a nunnery or convent, while ""isyhastirio"" means ""retreat"" or ""hermitage""