The Holy Monastery of the Honorable Forerunner was founded by the monk- martyr St. Damianos in the 16th century, abandoned in the mid-20th century, and then re-established by a group of nuns in the year 2000.
The monastery is located on the side of Mt. Kissavos (Ossa), four kilometers from the village Anatoli, near Agia, at a distance of about an hour’s journey from Larissa, at an altitude of 1080 m.
Today the monastery complex consists of the “Old Monastery,” newer buildings (including a church dedicated to St. Damianos), and St. Damianos’ Hermitage, as well as the livestock operation and gardens.
The main structure of the old monastery was founded by the Damian the New of Philotheou (February 14 and 23) around 1550 AD; a smaller section of the monastery dates earlier, to ca. 1100 AD. The monastery was founded as a coenobitic community and flourished during the 16th century. Around 1889 AD, the last monk from this community died and the buildings were repossessed by the community of Anatoli who maintained these in good condition until the civil war of Greece when the monastery was badly damaged.
Today the main church is dedicated to the Forerunner and is surrounded by the cells of the nuns and the main reception area for the monastery. Close to this church is a chapel which is dedicated to the holy martyr Demetrios.
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