The last monk of Strofades

An exciting book with a story which is unknown to most of us. A book with a lot of photographic material, that enchants us and takes us to a place which is so near and yet unknown.

 “The last monk of Strofades” was a real person who dedicated his life to preserving a fortified monastery complex with a standing church for more than seven centuries. The place is called Stamfani and is a tiny island which, together with the Arpyia islet, form the Strophades complex to the south of Zakynthos.

 The monastery complex is called the Monastery of Strofades and stands proudly since the 13th century, although it has been beaten by the time and shaken by earthquakes. A monk and hermit named father Gregorios lived in this monastery for 38 years, until his last breath just a year ago, in 2017.

 The historic monastery and its chapels accepted the final blow in 1997 with the great earthquake of Zakynthos, but the faithful monk managed to keep it with the help of the last lighthouse keeper of the island.

 The book, with the story as narrated by the monk himself to journalist Katerina Lymberopoulou, captures almost fictionally the history of the monastery while the photographs included therein keep the reader's interest avid and undiminished, until the last page. The book is released by Patakis publications.