Built in a picturesque location in the cove of a wide gulf, surrounded by low mountainsides with pine trees at the south side of the island, this monastery attracts all the visitors in Symi. He is the patron saint of Symi and of sailors; famous to all Aegean sailors from the antiquity since at that point there was a temple of Poseidon. The picture of the Saint is considered to be miraculous and depicts him in a size larger than natural holding a soul in his left hand. The picture is covered with silver leaves and offerings from believers.
In the monastery there is a woodcut temple, murals of hagiographers from Symi, of priest-monk Neofytos and of Karakosti brothers that are in bad condition and an impressive baroque belfry of Russian origin weighting three tones. There are also a museum and a library. Island people use to call the Saint “thief”, since if you promise him something and omit to offer it to him, he takes it himself.
The Church of Panormitis helped financially the Greek War of Independence in 1821. During the World War II it was an espionage center and its abbot, who was in chief, was executed along with his companions, Floros Zouganelis and Michail Labrou in October 11, 1944.
You can access Panormitis either by car or by boat from Gialos, where you can enjoy a route full of natural beauties of Symi.