Holy Monastery of the Ascension of the Savior

The Holy Monastery of the Ascension of Sotiros is located in the village of Taxiarches in the prefecture of Drama, in a beautiful area, next to Falakro mountain, at the 13th kilometer of the Dramas – Sidironeros road. The history of the monastery is inextricably linked with the life and pastoral work of Saint George Karslides the Confessor. In the settlement of the Taxiarches of Drama (Sipsa), the first “settler” and founder of the monastery, in the year 1930, was the blessed elder George Karslides (1901 – 1959), the youngest recognized Saint of the Orthodox Church in Greece.

Today, a numerous female fraternity of nuns flourishes at this point, which constitutes the Holy Monastery of the Ascension of the Savior. The nuns mainly deal with the iconography of portable icons, which follow the Byzantine tradition. Others try to continue the tradition of gold embroidery by hand. There is also a weaving mill and a candle shop.
Many believers flock to the monastery every day, not only from the inside, but also from outside, to worship the Saint’s tomb, which is fragrant, and to ask for his blessing and his help. The monastery preserves the cell of Agios Georgios Karslides the Confessor, where many pilgrims find peace of mind.