The Byzantine Monastery of Hosios Loukas

Nestled in the mountains of Boeotia, a few kilometers from Delphi, the Monastery of Hosios Loukas (“Saint Luke”, also spelled Ossios Loukas or Osios Loukas) is at the top of the list of the most beautiful Byzantine monasteries in Greece!

Follow the guide!

Brief history of Hosios Loukas

Careful: Hosios Loukas is not to be confused with his namesake, Saint Luke the Evangelist!

Born in 896, the Saint Luke of Ossios Loukas was a Greek hermit who decided in 945 to build a monastery on the massif of Helicon, on the site of an ancient temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Demeter.

Known for his mysterious healing powers, the hermit (nicknamed Luke the Stiriot, the Venerable Luke or Luke the Thaumaturgist) surrounded himself with disciples and attracted the favors (and financial support) of wealthy dignitaries, who helped him build a church dedicated to Saint Barbara (Agia Varvara in Greek).

Saint Luke died in 953, two years before the church was completed. His bones are preserved in a reliquary which visitors can still see today in the crypt of the Monastery of Hosios Loukas.

In 1011, a second church, the catholicon, was erected in the Monastery of Hosios Loukas, in honor of its holy creator, St Luke.

In the 15^th century, the Latin monks settled in monastery were replaced by orthodox monks.

In 1460, when Greece was invaded by the Turkish army, the reliquary of Saint Luke was sent to Venice. It would stay in Italy until 1986, when it was finally returned to the Monastery of Hosios Loukas.

In 1990, the monastery of Hosios Loukas was declared a Unesco World Heritage Site (together with the monastery of Daphni and the monastery Neo Moni of Chios).

Visiting Hosios Loukas

With its sumptuous gold-backed mosaics and rich marble pavements, the Monastery of Hosios Loukas has a touch of the grandeur of St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice or Hagia Sophia in Istanbul… albeit on a much smaller scale, of course!

Before entering the monastery, take a minute to linger outside and enjoy the spectacular scenery!

Church of the Theotokos (= the Virgin Mary)

Built between 945 and 953, the Church of the Theotokos (formerly dedicated to St. Barbara) is the oldest building in the monastery of Hosios Loukas. It is an excellent example of medieval Byzantine decorative architecture.

Outside the church, look closely at the friezes and you’ll surely decipher symbols that do not look like the Greek alphabet: these are kufic characters, a style of Arabic calligraphy. These characters were indeed often used as ornaments in byzantine buildings, not for their meaning, but rather for their aesthetics. They are often qualified as pseudo-kufic characters, since they only seek to imitate the Arabic calligraphy.

Inside the church, be sure to take some time to admire the marble pavement, the white-marble iconostasis, the traces of the original wall paintings, as well as the 10^th century frescoes representing Jesus.

The Katholikon

Built at the beginning of the 11^th century, the Katholikon is a large church dedicated to the creator of the monastery: Saint Luke. It is connected to the Church of the Theotokos: this configuration is very surprising and can be explained by the monks’ desire to facilitate the passage of pilgrims from one building to another.

The Katholikon is famous for the incredible richness of its mosaics, pavements, and murals, most of which are incredibly well preserved.

The Crypt

Located under the Katholikon, the Crypt was built to accommodate the remains of Saint Luke. Dedicated to Saint Barbara, it presents striking wall paintings that are definitely worth a visit!

The refectory

Located near the ticket office, the old refectory has been converted into a small museum. Visitors can admire architectural fragments of of the monastery.

Visitor Tips

Getting to Hosios Loukas

From Delphi, the Monastery of Osios Loukas is about 35 kilometers / 20 miles away, which is a 40 to 45-minute drive.

To get to Hosios Loukas from Athens, the easiest is:

• Either renting a car (the monastery is located 170 kilometers/105 miles/2 hours away from the capital)
• Or opting for a day trip which includes visits to the sanctuary of Delphi and to the monastery of Osios Loukas as well as a stop in the picturesque village of Arachova.

Opening times

The Monastery is open every day:

• from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from May to October
• from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. from November to April

Admission

Entrance tickets are available at a rate of 4 € per person.