Holy Monastery of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

A spiritual beacon in Edessa’s Mesimeri

A few kilometres outside Edessa, embraced by the green mountainous landscape of the Messimerion region, stands the women’s Holy Monastery of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Its location, on a hill with a panoramic view, offers absolute tranquility and an ideal environment for prayer and spiritual upliftment.

The monastery is a point of reference for the wider region, not only because of its religious significance, but also because of the presence of the Hatzigianni Spiritual Centre, which was built on the site of the monastery thanks to the generosity of the Hatzigianni brothers. This centre occasionally hosts cultural and spiritual activities, contributing to the preservation of the Orthodox tradition and cultural heritage.

The monastery celebrates with splendour every 14 September, on the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, but also on the K Sunday of the Nativity, also known as the Sunday of the Pilgrimage of the Cross. These feasts attract a large number of believers, who flock to participate in the solemn services.

The Divine Liturgy is celebrated every Sunday and on all major feasts of the ecclesiastical year, offering spiritual support and guidance to visitors and regular pilgrims of the monastery.

The Holy Monastery of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross is a place full of peace, hospitality and prayer, worth discovering both for its religious significance and for the impressive nature that surrounds it.