The Holy Monastery of Panagia of Zermpitsi is located on the magnificent Taygetos, on its east side, at an altitude of 500 meters and is at a distance of 19 km from Sparta.
The name Zermpitsa is probably a Slavic place-name and is interpreted as “Metohi” (glebe land).
It is easy to get there, crossing the Sparta - Gythion highway and taking, at the 11th km, the road to the right.
There, across in the depth, on a verdant corner of the mountain range, the monastery emerges, as a salvation ark, which the Divine Providence put in the natural splendor to find every soul elevation, divine peace and cease.
Three kilometers after the villages of Ksirokampi and Daphni, one is amazed, enjoying the exquisite spectacle of a combination of natural beauty and art.
According to the inscription, which is located at the lintel of the Royal Gate of the interior of the Holy Catholic, the Holy Stavropegic Monastery was erected in 1639 and painted with hagiographies in 1669. The frescoes are post-Byzantine style.
A lord from Constantinople, who was called Emmanuel, was a fugitive in a hideaway of Taygetus. From there, the Magnificent, as featured in the inscription, saw a beam of light each night, at the place where the Holy Temple is today. His good will to investigate the source of the paradoxical light, led him to visit this place many times, but finding only shrubs.
Sometime while he was in the place where he saw the light, he met a hunter who advised him to announce the mysterious sight to Bishop of Pharida, who, at that time had his seat in Ksirokampion.
The Bishop had traditionally been aware that in the twelfth century there was a Monastery of “Kyra Panagia” at the same place of Taygetos. The information about the appearance of light by the eminent master Emmanuel, led him to research. For this purpose he organizes a processional litany and comes with several Christians at the specific point, where, after prayer and sanctification, he offers the blessing of the excavation.
Indeed, after a three-day effort, the holy icon of the Virgin Mary, holding the holy infant, was found in a dry well and in the place of the present Temple. Despite the wear and tear on the wood of the Holy Icon, and the weakening of the characteristics of the holy Faces, the most holy look of the Mother of Jesus is kept very alive until today.
After this miracle, two pious villagers were inspired and accepted the lonely call. They also stated that they wanted to remain there as Monks.
These first monks, making a fundraiser, first built a pilgrim-place for the found Holy icon. And Emmanuel the master returned to Constantinople and sent a sufficient amount of money to build the Byzantine Temple of the Assumption of the Virgin, as it is today, thus fulfilling its miracle.
The miraculous owner’s icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, Ms. Zermpitsis, is enthroned on the left pilgrimage-place of the main temple and is in a wooden box framed by a silver lining.
According to historical data, which is based on the dating of the remains of old buildings, we can conclude that in the same geographical location there was a pagan temple of the 3rd century BC. In fact, at the Museum of the Holy Monastery, findings of this era are kept.
The Katholikon is a spacious structure, of composite Byzantine four-column rhythm, with two dances of Mount Athos type, exactly because it refers to the honor and adoration of the Ephoros of the Holy Athonite Castle of Orthodoxy.
A temple of the Mount Athos is called the Byzantine rhythm (cross-in-square, crossed-dome), with lite (the wide narthex supported on columns, called lite because of the monastic office performed in this space) and two dances. Above the Narthex on the second floor, with entrance to the west, where there was a hidden school according to tradition, three chapels have now been formed: the Holy Trinity, the Honorable Forerunner and Saint Nektarios.
The paved courtyard, due to the slope of the ground, consists of two staggered levels. In the lower courtyard are the cells, the old and the newer, the Altar, the workshops, the hagiography, the synode (meeting) room, the Abbey, the arches around the beautiful Church, the garden and several flowers. In the upper courtyard are the hostels, Archontariki and Despotiko, with the huge centuries-old plane tree in the middle and the great impressive hydrangeas around.
The entire monastic layout is of the Mount Athos type and resembles a miniature city. It retains many of the characteristics of traditional monastic architecture and stands with a tranquil splendor of cypress trees, oak trees, Judas trees and olive trees.
The Holy Monastery, with a ministerial decision, has been declared a historic monument that is preserved, respected by time, and the Virgin Mary, Phaneromeni, established it in the conscience of our people with its miraculous rescue by many dangers. During the German occupation, in 1941, it suffered a terrible bombardment, but the Defender General safeguarded her house harmless.
In 1968 the Museum of the Holy Monastery was founded with relics, giving a faint picture of the size of its glory. Among other remarkable heirlooms stand out the golden-embroidered Epitaph of 1538 which is dedicated to the Venerable Monastery of the Most Holy Virgin Mary, and the gold-embroidered icon-flag of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary of the year 1707.
In 1966, after the invitation of the late Metropolitan of Monemvasia & Sparta ,Kyprianos Poulakos, came from Argolida, the charismatic abbess Parthenia Vassilakis, with a twelve-member fraternity, and headed by the honorable Elder Paul Zisakis. Then, the Holy Monastery found the man it needed and was completely renovated. Since then, and until today, during the days of the existing and ever-expanding Brotherhood, the Holy Monastery knows great and multifaceted prosperity.
More specifically, three new building complexes were erected; one cell wing on the south, and two towers east and west of the Monastery’s front. These Towers were raised, faithfully copying and completing the athonite image and tradition.
In the eastern four-storey tower are housed the synode (meeting) room, the hagiography workshop, the dining room, the kitchen, the warehouses and five chapels in honor of the Transfiguration of the Savior, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Three Hierarchs, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John the Chrysostom, as well as in honor of their Holy Mothers, Emmelias, Nonis and Anthousas and Saint Irene Chrysovalantou.
On the west three-storey Tower, there are spaces for the hospitality of the pilgrims and a large chapel that is honored in the name of the Divine Ascension of our Christ. Also, above the central gate, in the balcony, is located the chapel of Apostle Paul.
As soon as we enter the Holy Monastery, in the left of the arcade, we find three chapels. It is about the so-called catacombs, which were old warehouses and barns, in honor of: a) the Holy Martyrs Demetrius, Minas and Fanourios b) Saint George the Great Martyr and c) Saint John the new martyr of Monemvasia. In the chapel of the latter, his holy Top is kept.
Also, within the Abbey, there is the chapel of Saint Maria of Egypt.
Altogether, inside the Holy Mandra, were reconstructed or built from the very beginning, fourteen chapels, dedicated to the glory and worship of the Trinity.
Also, among the remarkable works that were done by the Exuberant Brotherhood, we detect the opening of a road with asphalt for the first time, the electrification of the Holy Monastery and the drilling for finding sufficient water, which was lacking for years.
In addition, were organized, a nice Byzantine style iconography workshop, a tailor shop, a Library, a Synod (meeting) room, an Archontariki (hostel in monasteries), an Abbey and three Altars, one for the Brotherhood, one for the festivals and one for the hostels. The olive grove of the Monastery was also cultivated and it became very beautiful.