Overview

The Monastery of the Priests consists of buildings from various eras, which were shaped according to the needs and capabilities that its occupants had from time to time. A two-storeyed building with the monks’ cells rises in the west side. According to the sign, which is placed on the wall of the left base in the semicircular dome of the main entrance, this structure was ‹‹CONSTRUCTED THROUGH THE DONATION OF THE PRIEST AND MONK MELETIOS, ABBOT OF KYKKOS AND THE MONASTERY OF AX???H (1698)››. During the last renovation (1984-1995) some of the cells were converted to an office, a kitchen, and a dining room. To the north it is joined by a two-story building, the basement of which is used as a "Synodion" and the second floor as a cell. As an extension of the main building, there is a 14th century chapel covered with an arched dome, dedicated to Saint Athanasius of Mount Athos. Some speculate that it was formerly used as the monastery's refectory. It was repaired and restored in 1964 by the Department of Antiquities. It was then that a 15th century silver coin was discovered in it. A series of ground-level structures expand in the south side of the Dependency. The sign on their external wall reports that they were raised in 1820 by the nation’s martyr and prior of Kykkos, Josef (1819-1821): ‹‹DURING THE TIMES OF JOSEF, IN THE MOTH OF JULY KB’ PRIOR OF KYKKOS AND MONI››. Three of the above structures were used as a kitchen, a “magkipeio” (kneading room and oven), and a dining room, while the rest as storage areas. Today they have been converted into cells. The overhead level behind them was considered as the most suitable venue for the raising of the abbot’s quarters along with the necessary apartments.