January 31, 2018

Church of Saint Arsenios the New in Paros


Saint Arsenios the New of Paros reposed on January 31, 1877 at the Monastery of the Transfiguration, known also as the Monastery of Christ of the Forest, and today also known as the Monastery of Saint Arsenios, where he served as spiritual father to the nuns. Soon after his repose a small chapel was dedicated to him at the monastery, erected at the site of his tomb, which was included inside it. Later, between 1935 and 1945 a much larger chapel was built to replace the old one. Official recognition of his sainthood came in 1967 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Soon after two more chapels dedicated to Saint Arsenios were dedicated to him in the suburbs of Athens, one at Moschaton and one in Spata.

Because Saint Arsenios is so highly revered in Paros, a much larger church was sought to be established there by the faithful of the island dedicated to their patron saint. For this reason a larger church was established next to the Monastery of Christ of the Forest, where the foundation was set in 1998, and it was consecrated in 2002.