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The
Monastery of the Holy Trinity is built on a high rock with a peculiar
pattern in an area of 5-6 acres, situated in the north west side of the
Monastery of Saint Steven. It’s the most inaccessible Monastery among
the rest ones in Meteora. 
The ascent to the
Monastery used to take place through rope ladders and the net. Nowadays,
the ascent is achieved through rough hiking and as soon as one climbs
140 stairs dug in the rock made in 1925 can he be safely taken to the
top of the rock. In 1970, an aerial carrier of materials and items was
constructed to satisfy the needs of the Monastery’s maintenance.
The visitor
worshipper faces the magic view from high above, the valley of Kalambaka
with Pineios River, Koziakas and the Hasia mountains.
Specialists
consider The Monastery of the Holy Trinity to be the third most ancient
Monastery in Meteora. The first hermit monks must have built their
hermitages in the beginning of the 14th century. The
Monastery was erected in 1438 A.D. by a monk called Dometios but this
piece of information is not confirmed. It took 70 years to construct the
Monastery and carry the materials up there.
An inscription
and other testimonies disclose that the Main Church (Katholikon) was
built in 1475-76 A.D. and this piece of information is verified by the
date carved and built in the exterior wall.
The monastery has
got two Churches. The Main Church which is also called Katholikon and
the smaller church of St John Prodromos.
The Main Church
is distyle with a central dome on the top of the roof. The frescoes were
painted in 1741 during the reign of the Bishop Stagon Theofanes and, the
painters were priests Antonios and his brother Nikolaos.
In the temple
there are several old pictures. The picture of Holy Mary that was
painted in 1718 A.D. and the picture of Jesus painted in 1662 A.D. are
of great interest.
In the esonarthex
there are frescoes which were painted in 1962 in the reign of the bishop
Stagon Arsenios and the Abbot of the Monastery Ionas.
Next to the
sanctuary there is a small ambry which was constructed in 1684. There
are still, a waiting room, cells and tanks and one can also see a small
laographic collection.
The small church
of John Prodromos is circular with a dome, carved on the rock with
several murals.
The church was
built and decorated in 1682 by the monks Damaskinos, Ionas and
Parthenios.
 In
1909, the
Byzantinist N.
Beis
discovered
47 rare
manuscripts in a crypt which are kept safe in the ambry of the Monastery
of St Steven since
1953 along
with the manuscripts of the Monasteries Rousanos and Anapafsas.
Unfortunately the
Monastery’s ambry has been pillaged and the Monastery’s library has been
set to fire during possession by the Germans and the Italians.
The monastery was
deserted from 1942 to 1961 and as a result several heirlooms, pictures
and manuscripts got lost.
The 26 pictures
that were saved were carried to the Monastery of Varlaam. The Monastery
was renovated in 1972.
The men’s
Monastery of the Holy Trinity belongs to the metropolis of Stagon and
Meteoron which is situated in the city of Kalambaka.
Translation by Christine Boutsia
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