Monastery of Oblou (Monastery of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary)

On a mountainous, green location, approximately 15km from Patras, over the village of Saravali, is the historic monastery of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, which is known as Monastery of Oblou. Its name comes from the Albanian word “obile”, that is “sweet”, a name for the Virgin Mary given by the Albanian speaking population of this area.

The monastery was founded in 1315, when monk Joachim with two of his students built the first cells, at the location where there was already a small church of the Virgin Mary. In 1581 it was renovated and recognized as a stauropegic monastery and in 1612 its catholicon was reconstructed with the expenses of Georgios Demenikas, a landowner of the area, while the rest of the complex was renovated completely in 1689, apart from the northern wing which was built in 1754. In the Revolution of 1821 the monastery became the refuge for the non-combatants and a base of operation for the chieftains. During its long history it was torched three times, in 1770 by the Turco-Albanians, in 1821 by the Turks and in 1943 by the Germans as retaliation for helping the resistance. More serious was the destruction in 1821, which led to the abandonment of the monastery until 1828, when its monks returned and rebuilt it.

The complex is surrounded by cell buildings and the centre of its yard stands its catholicon, which belongs to the type of three-aisled basilica. Initially it was richly decorated with excellent wall paintings and had exceptional woodworks that were destroyed in 1770. In the 19th century it was repaired a lot of time and in 1865 they added its bell tower. The monastery has excellent library with old books and documents, and important relics of saints and two beautiful icons of Virgin Mary holding baby Jesus of 1730 and 1817. The icons of Christ and the Presentation of Virgin Mary at the gold-plated screen have been dedicated by the monks of the Monastery of Megalou Spilaiou in 1839, while the icon of the Ascension has been dedicated by the people of Patras in 1849.

Nowadays, it is a men’s monastery and it celebrates on the 21st of November.