The Holy Spirit Rock or Holy Ghost Rock, also known as the Agion Pneuma in Greek, is a rock in the

Meteora The Meteora (; , ) is a rock formation in the regional unit of Trikala, in Thessaly, in northwestern Greece, hosting one of the most prominent complexes of Eastern Orthodox Church, Eastern Orthodox monastery, monasteries, viewed locally as se ...

rock formation A rock formation is an isolated, scenic, or spectacular surface rock (geology), rock outcrop. Rock formations are usually the result of weathering and erosion sculpting the existing rock. The term ''rock Geological formation, formation ...

complex of

Thessaly Thessaly ( ; ; ancient Aeolic Greek#Thessalian, Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic regions of Greece, geographic and modern administrative regions of Greece, administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient Thessaly, a ...

, Greece. It stands on the northern flank of the westward-opening valley in which

Kastraki, Trikala Kastraki () is a village in Kalabaka municipal unit, Trikala (regional unit), Trikala, Thessaly, Greece. It is located on the northwest of the main municipal unit of Kalabaka. Kastraki takes advantage of a small valley opening into the southwest s ...

is located. The southern flank is guarded, so to speak, by

Surloti Surloti or Sourloti () is a rock in the Meteora rock formation complex of Thessaly, Greece. It is located on the southern side of the westward-facing valley in which Kastraki, Trikala has been partially settled. Kastraki is a northern suburb of Ka ...

Rock. South of it a NE trending line of additional precipices separates Kastraki from the more urban

Kalabaka Kalabaka (, ''Kalabáka'', alternative transliterations are ''Kalambaka'' and ''Kalampaka'') is a town and seat of the municipality of Meteora (municipality), Meteora in the Trikala (regional unit), Trikala regional unit, part of Thessaly in G ...

, a municipal unit, and seat of,

Meteora (municipality) Meteora (, before 2018: ''Kalampaka'') is a municipality in the regional unit of Trikala in the Thessaly region in Greece. Its seat is the town Kalabaka. The municipality Meteora was formed as the municipality Kalampaka at the 2011 local governm ...

. Kastraki is a community of Kalabaka. The Holy Spirit Rock is long and thin, trending also to the NE. It is multi-partite with a characteristic peak like a tab in the center. Seen from the end, the rock appears as a tall triangle. Kastraki is located mainly off its west end, but some of the streets of Kastraki climb the base of the rock. The NE trending ridge is not to be confused with the one further south that separates Kastraki from Kalabaka. West of the valley the

Pineios (Thessaly) The Pineios (, , , referred to in Latin sources as Peneus) is a river in Thessaly, Greece. The river is named after the god Peneus. During the later Middle Ages, it was also known as the Salamvrias or Salavrias (Σαλα ��ριάς). It f ...

River flows N-S. To the east the valley rises gradually into the Meteora massif, where a number of monasteries are ensconced on precipices, which they were long before the Ottomans or their Albanian peace-keepers were in Greece.

Monasteries and sites

The Monks' Prison ('' Filakaé Monakón'') () is built in long vertical crevice on the eastern side of the Holy Spirit Rock. From Kastraki, it can be reached via an unmarked hiking trail. The ruins of the ("Monastery of the Holy Spirit") are located on the rock (). The Monastery of the Holy Spirit is built on a 300-metre high cliff. A path carved into the cliff leads to the church, which has survived to this day. The frescoes have completely decayed. The altar,

sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christianity, Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is us ...

, and prayer book are carved into the rock, and at the entrance to the right is a carved coffin where the clergyman's grave is located. To the left of the shrine are two cisterns for collecting rainwater. There are abandoned cells and trees in several places. At the top of the cliff is an iron cross, said to have been erected by the Serbian king

Stefan Dušan Stephen (honorific), Stefan Uroš IV Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош IV Душан), also known as Dušan the Mighty ( sr-Cyrl, Душан Силни; – 20 December 1355), was the King of Serbia from 8 September 1331 and Emperor of th ...

. The () is also located on the rock. Kerchiefs (''mandilia'') are traditionally hung at the cave entrance. It may have been one of the four monasteries founded around 1367 by Neilos, the

Prior The term prior may refer to: * Prior (ecclesiastical), the head of a priory (monastery) * Prior convictions, the life history and previous convictions of a suspect or defendant in a criminal case * Prior probability, in Bayesian statistics * Prio ...

of the Skete of Stagoi. The Cave of St. George of Mandila may be the same as the Cave of Archimandrite Makarios near Pigadion. The base can be easily reached from Kastraki, but

rock climbing Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending climbing routes, routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in c ...

is needed to reach the actual cave. Stylos Stagon (Στύλος Σταγών), a rock pillar, is part of the Holy Spirit rock complex. The

Monastery of Theostiriktos A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which may ...

(Μονή Θεοστηρίκτου) is located in the Holy Spirit Rock area, but its exact location is uncertain.

Access

A network of trails surrounding the rock can be reached from the village of Kastraki.

References

External links

{{Meteora Rocks of Meteora Holy Spirit Cliff dwellings Former Christian monasteries in Greece