Monastery of St. John ton Moundon

The Monastery of St. John ton Moundon stands in the quiet countryside of northwestern Chios, about 700 metres north of the village of Diefcha. Dedicated to Saint John Prodromos, its name likely derives from the original site at Mounda, near Volissos, before the community relocated to this more secluded spot. Local tradition places its foundation in Byzantine times, though it first appears in written records in 1574, when the monk Iakovos Lagkadiotis renovated it. A stavropegian foundation under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, it flourished from the 17th to the 19th century, becoming the second most important monastic centre on the island after the Nea Moni. It held extensive lands and a notable library, including a manuscript membrane dated 1462, and attracted scholars interested in its iconography.

The catholicon survives in good condition, but the surrounding chapels, cells and ancillary buildings are largely ruined. The Turks destroyed the monastery in 1822; it was restored, then damaged again by the earthquake of 1881, which began its decline. The fortification wall remains mostly intact though dilapidated, and a three-storey tower to the north, partly preserved, threatens collapse. During the liberation of Chios in 1912, Ottoman troops reportedly sheltered here, and bombardment from Greek ships caused damage never repaired. No monks remain; the feast is kept on 29 August.