KuÅŸtul Monastery

The Kustul Monastery ( Turkish Kustul Manastırı, Greek Ιερά Μονή του Αγίου Γεωργίου Περιστερεώτα ) is located near the village in the district of Macka Şimşirli (Greek: Matsouka ) the province of Trabzon in Turkey. It was about 30 km southeast of the city of Trabzon founded in 752 and closed on January 17, 1923, as the monks were expelled along with other Ponto Greeks to Greece.

The Greek name of the monastery is St. Georgios Peristereotas. The name derives from the monks Peristereotis ( peristeri means dove in Greek) from. Legend has it that a swarm of pigeons descended from the forests Sourmenas and three monks headed, carrying the icon of Saint George to the place where the monastery was built.

During its heyday, the monastery of 187 rooms / parcels and a large library containing about 7,000 volumes existed. In the year 1203, and after 450 years of continuous use, the monastery was abandoned and lived a monk in it for two centuries. In the year 1398 was the Emperor of Trebizond Manuel III. given permission to reopen the monastery. 1462 the monastery was partially destroyed when thieves and looters stole many of the heirlooms. Many possessions were lost during the fire of 1483. In 1501 the monastery was placed under the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople, Opel and so used until the beginning of the 20th century. After a fire in 1906 it was restored. The monastery was evacuated again in 1922 and its occupants in 1923 expelled from Turkey in the Kingdom of Greece. The monastery was abandoned ruins are still preserved today.

A monastery of the same name, was inaugurated on 16 June 1978 in Naoussa, Imathia, which is also the place where the monks of the monastery Kustul are buried.