In the peaceful landscape of northwestern Chios, 700 meters north of the village of Diefcha, is one of the most important religious monuments of Chios, the Mundon Monastery.
It is dedicated to Saint John Prodromos and its name probably comes from the location of Munda, near Volissos, where it was originally located, before being moved to its current, more remote location.

History

According to local tradition the foundation of the monastery goes back to Byzantine times, but its first mention in the sources is in 1574, and it is related to its renovation by the monk Iakovos Lagkadiotis.
It was stauropigian [under the Patriarchate of Constantinople] and flourished significantly from the 17th to the 19th century. In fact, it developed into the second most important monastic center of Chios after the Holy New Monastery.

The monastery had a large property and a rich library with a remarkable membrane of 1462 AD.
It became a center for theological studies and hosted great scholars and prominent Chios intellectuals who were particularly interested in its iconography.

From the monastery complex, the catholicon is preserved in good condition. Around it, small chapels, cells and ancillary buildings, which form an enclosure, are mostly in ruins.

The Monastery was destroyed in 1822 by the Turks, renovated and destroyed again by the strong earthquake of 1881, which marked the beginning of its decline and gradual abandonment.
The monastery today has no monks. Celebrates on August 29.

The monastery is surrounded by a fortification wall, with most of it preserved to this day in a bad state. To protect the monastery there was a three-story tower to the north of the complex, which is partially preserved but is under immediate threat of collapse.
According to oral tradition, during the liberation of Chios in 1912, the Ottomans found refuge in the monastery during their retreat. The attack by the Greeks and the bombardment of the complex from their ships off the coast of Volissos caused great damage which was never repaired.

Sources