Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary

Saint Athanasios (or Athanasius) bought the island of Kyra Panagia from the Byzantine rulers of Constantinople in 993 AD and used it as a dependency of the Holy Monastery of Megisti Lavra of Mount Athos. Here, in the 16th century, the post-Byzantine Holy Monastery of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (Genesiou tis Theotokou) was established, it is still open today. Early Christian relics from the 6th-7th century BC have survived in the monastery’s courtyard, along with machinery from the old olive mill that used to be operated by the monks. Ruins of the older monastery are on a hill in the Agios Petros area. Every year, on September 2-3, there is a great celebration in the new monastery in honor of the Virgin Mary. It mainly attracts residents from Alonissos and Skopelos. That is the only time non-monks are allowed to stay in the monastery's dormitories. The rituals are those used on Mount Athos.