Monastery of the Virgin Mary of Mavriotissa

The Monastery of the Virgin Mary of Mavriotissa (Mavriotissa monastery) is a monastery that is built on the spot where troops of Byzantine military commander Georgios Paleologos encircled the attacking Normans in 1083. It is believed that the emperor, Alexis I, built the monastery there to commemorate the event.http://www.pahh.com/mavrovitis/ch2/chapter2b.html]

Surrounding the region of the lake of Kastoria there are 72 churches and chapels, Mavriotissa being one of the earliest of them.

History

The monastery was initially named "Mesonisiotissa" ("in the middle of the island") and in the beginning of the 17th century it renamed itself to "Krepenitissa" ("of Krepeni") after the name of the nearby village Krepeni. Sometime from the middle to late 17th century it changed its name to "Mavriotissa" ("of Mavrovo") after the Greek village Mavrovo near Kastoria.http://www.pahh.com/mavrovitis/maps/map03.html]

The monastery was a significant land owner in the vilage of Krepeni.

References