Petraki Monastery is located at the center of Athens, in the densely populated district of Lycabettus, behind Evangelismos hospital. The entrance leads to a small garden and the beautiful Catholicon, which is devoted to the Bodiless Taxiarch Archangels. Behind the church, which dates from the 13th century, there lie the administrative offices of the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece.

In front of the Catholicon (the main church), there is the grave of the Teacher of Greek Nation Constantinos Oikonomou.

In the past there was a monastery in this place, named “Coucopouli” in honor of its founder,which was dependencyof the monastery of St. John the Forerunner in Careas, Hymettus, but later the monks moved here for safety reasons. In 1673 the monk, doctor and philosopher Parthenios Petrakis from Demetsana, Peloponnese, came to the monastery and radically rebuilt it; since then it bears his name.

During the Greek War of Independence (1821-1829), the Turks sacked the monastery. After the establishment of the Greek state Petraki was used as an armory and a military hospital. After 1922 it housed Greek refugees from Turkey and during the Axis Occupation of Greeceit offered food to needy children.

All its property it once held was gradually given to believers and this made the monasteryone of the greatest benefactors of Athens. With donations from its former property there were established the hospitals Evangelismos, Sotiria and Syngrou, Rizarios Ecclesiastical School, the Academy of Athens, the Technical University, Gennadios Library et.al.

The Catholicon of the Monastery was proclaimed the Synodal Chapel by decision of the Standing Holy Synod of the Church of Greece.

Petraki monastery has a total of twenty ecclesiastical dependencies, historical and religious monuments, in Attica.

Today there are 16 monks living in it. It celebrates on November 8,feast of the Bodiless Powers, and on February 7, when memorial services are held for the soul of the founder and first Abbot Parthenios Petrakis.

The holy services of the Monastery are broadcasted live daily by the radio station of the Church of Greece and the Divine Liturgy is performed daily for the believers from 6:00 to 8:15 a.m.

Telephone: (+30) 2107212402

Email: monipetraki@ath.forthnet.gr