MONASTERY OF PHILANTHROPINON

 

The Monastery of Ag. Nikolaos Philanthropinon is located on the western side of the Island of Ioannina. The present building complex of the Monastery is composed of the katholikon (main church), the two-storeyed building of the cells, the ruinous probable dining room, the cemetery and the enclosure.

 

The church belongs to the type of single-spaced, timber-roofed basilica. According to an inscription, it was restored in 1291/2 by the monk and steward of the Metropolitan Church of Ioannina, Michael Philanthropinos. The Monastery was again restored during the 16th century and was adorned in 3 successive phases. The first phase (around 1531/2) covers the lower parts of the main church. In 1542, on initiative of the priest-monk Ioasaf Philanthropinos, there was decorated the "tholos" (the vault that replaced the timber roof). Once again on his own initiative, he decorated the narthex and with the three exonarthexes.

 

Valuable information about the activity of members of this renowned noble family, which came from Constantinople and settled to Ioannina during the 13th century, is provided by the three founder's inscriptions of the church, as well as by the written mentions of the death of various members of the family, who are depicted in the narthex.

 

 

The educative character of the hagiographies is closely related with the spiritual prosperity of the Monastery which, according to tradition, housed a School along with the "Secret School" of the Island. In the library of the monastery was kept a manuscript codex known as "Kouvaras", where the monks used to register legends and memories of Epirus. The testaments of Zotos (1599) and Apostolos Tzigaras (1625) are indicative for the donations the Monastery received.