Agiasos

Agiasos is a big, semi-mountainous traditional settlement, built on the slopes of Mount Olympus, 460 m above sea level. Agiasos preserves its traditional architectural features in an unaltered state and is now an officially protected landmark settlement. Despite its distance from the coast, Agiasos attracts quite a few tourists in the summer months. A main reason for its appeal is the Panagia Church of Agiasos, celebrating the Dormition of the Theotokos on 15 August with very popular festivities. The monastery was built to house and venerate the icon brought by monk Agathon from Jerusalem. The icon is inscribed “Meter Theou, Aghia Sion” (= Holy Zion, Mother of God). The name “Agiasos” is a paraphrase of “Agiason”, the popularly used, original version of the icon’s name (“Aghia Sion”).