Agioi Anargiroi (Agios Kosmas Xeroulaki)

The abbey of Agioi Anargyroi (better known as Agios Kosmas) is in Xeroulaki, south of the village of Drymonas and east of an older abbey. The churchyard is connected to an older part of the abbey, in which one can see the cells, the old ledger and a tower with its battlements. The new church was built in 1825. According to tradition, one of the family’s inheritors, a priest named Kosmas, tried to gather money to build a new temple. When he went to Constantinople in 1820 to find the money, he found an old sick pirate, on his deathbed. When the pirate learned of the priest’ sancenstry, he revealed to him that he had hidden a jar full of jewels, coins and other valuable items in the Melidoni beach. He told him to take the jar and sell the contents and with the earnings, build the temple. On top of the bell-tower, a jar was placed as a token of gratitude. According to hereditary provision, there is always a priest in the Megalokonomou or Metaxas family, the owners of the abbey. The shrine holds the icon of Agioi Anargyroi, which has a silver coating and was created by Nikolaos Spithakis in the 19th century.