Our History
Chromitsa was and remains one of the most popular Russian metochia. It flourished greatly during the 19th century A.D. until its decline after 1917. Initially, there was only a small cell within the Church of the Nativity of the Theotokos, under the abbot of the Monastery of Saint Panteleimon, Archimandrite Makarios. In the latter half of the 19th century, a metochi with a church dedicated to Saint Platon of Studion and Saint Tatiana the Martyr was constructed.
This church was built through the donations of a merchant from Tambov, Tatiana Vasilyevna Dolgova, in memory of her late husband, Platon, which explains the church’s remarkable name. At its peak, the number of brothers increased significantly, and in 1882 a new church was built in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God of Kazan. Simultaneously, new buildings with a refectory and cells for the brothers were established. The number of monk-workers reached 100 or more.
The hermitage is renowned for its vineyards, olive trees, and gardens, which over time helped the monastery to sustain its numerous brothers and pilgrims.
