Saint Filothei of Athens

At Agias Filotheis 19 street you can discover a hideout, used also during Ottoman period. At that place where today saint Andrew church is located, a girl that became later a nun and a saint, named Filothei, did a great philanthropical work, around Attica.

Saint Filothei was born in 1522, as Paraskevi Mpenizelou. Mpenizelos mansion in Adrianou 96 street is her family home, of a Byzantine noble family, the oldest house of Athens today. When she was 14, her parents decided to marry her with a too older than her, Andreas Cheilas, from a noble family as well. But fate made soon -after three years- to lose her husband and so she was left young, wealthy, and free. Her parents pushed her for a second marriage but she declined their proposals, making clear that she would like to become a nun and devote her life to God.

So she started helping others and after her parents’ death she became a nun, with the name Filothei. 

Saint Filothei’s Crypt

Her crypt was discovered by accident in 1934, during mining activities. After some years it became the spot that the visitor sees today. It is located in Filothei area, before that the area was named Nea Alexandria.

The crypt was in contact by a tunnel with the Kalogreza estate, located today at Kapodistriou Street. It was also a cave, not visible today.

She martyred at 1588, and died at 1589. After 1640 there were some teachers activated in the city of Athens. 

Plaka churches

Athens monasteries

Ottoman Athens