The monastery is located on the southeastern slope of the Zygos mountain range, 8 km from Messolonghi and at an altitude of about 190 m. According to written testimonies, the place was designated by the garrison of Messolonghi as the meeting point after the Exodus of the besieged. It was commonly used as a meeting place for Armatoloi, Klepths, priests and rayahs.
Because of this historical connection, the monastery and its surrounding area, within a radius of 200 m around it, are registered as a historical monument. It is said by tradition to have been built in 1740, under the abbot Tarassios Tsumaris. During the Greek Revolution it was burnt twice. In 1826, it was repaired by the archimandrite Ioannikios Angeletos. It took its present form between 1829 and 1834. In 1973, the building located north of the church was built, according to an inscription.
The monastery consists of the katholikon and cells both on the ground floor and for two-storeys above in the north and northeast. The katholikon belongs to the Athonite type and is the only known example of this category in the area. It has a three-niched nave with a dome of the type associated with the one-room cross-church. It is stone-built, with a tiled roof and denticulated bands of solid brick. The narthex with its arched roof, as well as the stone two-storey bell tower, incorporated into the western part of the south side of the church, are both later additions.
Panigyri of Agios Simeon (Ai Simeon )
It is a custom with a historical, religious and musical-dance aspects that takes place twice a year, the two days of Hypapanti (February 2-3) and the four days of the Holy Spirit (Saturday-Tuesday). It is one of the biggest celebrations for the city of Messolonghi, the second biggest after the Exodus celebrations, and is one of the most important and special events in Aetolia. It is today a dominant element of cultural tradition and local identity, registered in the National Register of Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2018, as it preserves valuable traditional elements related to dance, dress and song.
It began in the pre-revolutionary years as a popular religious holiday associated with the fishing season, and, especially the February celebrations, marked the end of one year and the beginning of a new one. After all, to this day the celebration is actually and symbolically completed in the small church of the Holy Trinity of Kleissova on the day of the Holy Spirit, in memory of the battle of Kleissova.
After the Exodus of Messolonghi, the content of the festival expanded, taking on the character of a public memorial service for the fallen. The great Holy Saturday of Pentecost was chosen as the time and the historical monastery, closely connected with the heroic exodus, as the place. Over time, this day of remembrance was extended to Ascension Day and enriched with new events.
In general, the festival “of the armed men” is a meeting with the ancestors, but also a celebration of freedom, peace, joy and life.It maintains to this day its authenticity, its “primitivism” and its “Dionysiac” elements, as well as the special atmosphere composed by the components of intangible cultural heritage, such as traditional music from bagpipes and drums, dances and dance events, the traditional local costumes (doulamades) and rigging. The soul of the Festival is the armed men and horsemen, organized in “companies” of 10-15 people led by the “captain”, an experienced festival-goer. The groups are distinguished for their ability in dancing and singing. They sing and dance old folk songs of Roumeli, laments from Messolonghi and songs of this particular festival (“Aisimiotika”), while the Roma folk instrumentalists play tradiotional songs, such as the “Bandonada” or “Myroloi t’ Ali Pasha”. There are also dance performances, such as the “dance of the dead” and many others.