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The Church of the Monastery
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ิhe Monastery is located in the northern part of Icaria (Municipal Unit of Evdilos), near to the village Pigi. It is dedicated to Saint Theoktisti from Lesvos, whom the ecclesiastical tradition has linked to the islands of Paros and Icaria, even though there is a wealth of vague information about her life and deeds. The exact date of the Monastery's erection is unknown, but a preserved inscription on the south wall of the katholikon referring to the year of the interior's painting, attests to the fact that the Monastery was operating in the year 1688. The complex consists of the katholikon, fifteen cells and other auxiliary spaces. The katholikon is a single-nave, barrel-vaulted basilica, decorated with impressive wall-paintings. The iconography consists of narrative scenes from Christ's life, images of saints and monks, founders, donors etc. The murals reflect the cretan iconographic tradition and are attributed to two different painters. One of them was the painter Chatzi-Pantelis from Chios, whose name is preserved on the above-mentioned inscription. The other one was a less skillful painter, probably an assistant, who undertook the painting of some parts of the walls. The impressive Chapel of Theoskepasti, founded in the interior of a cave covered by a huge rock, is located a few meters far from the katholikon. According to the local tradition, the Chapel was founded when the habitants discovered the relics of Saint Theoktisti inside a crypt, behind the bema of the katholikon and transferred them to the cave. The Chapel is decorated with a wood-carved iconostasis that dates to 1849 according to a preserved inscription and was transported here from the katholikon. The memory of Saint Theoktisti is celebrated on November 9.
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