The Holy Monastery of Docheiariou is tenth in the hierarchy of the monasteries, founded in X century by Evthimios who was monastery’s docheiar (the chief of provision).In the early 11th century pirate raids drove away some of the monks, together with the founder, to the Monastery's present site.

In the 14th century, the Emperor John V Palaeologus and the Prince of Serbia Stefan Dushan helped the Monastery in a variety of ways. In the next century, Docheiariou passed through a period of decline, the only setback in its history as it has never suffered the damage caused by destructive fires. In the 16th century, the priest Georgios from Adrianople dedicated himself and all his possessions to the Monastery. At the same period, with the help of Alexander, Prince of Moldo-Wallachia and his wife, Roxandra, the property of the Monastery was returned. The 17th century the restoration of the tower of the Monastery took place, while in 1660 it was given the title of 'stavropegic'. Its bell-tower was built in the 18th century. At the time of the Greek Revolution, the Turks tortured its monks and carried off its treasures.

The present well-lit katholikon of Docheiariou is a 16th-century building with fine wall-paintings of the Cretan School. The Monastery has 12 chapels, the most important is Our Lady Gorgoipekoos, which contains the miracle-working icon of Our Lady of the same name.

The Monastery possesses a piece of the True Cross, relics of saints, sacred vessels, and vestments. Its library contains 545 manuscripts, 62 of which are on parchment, and more than 5,000 printed books. Today Docheiariou is the home of some 30 hard-working monks.

Miracle-working icons within the monastery

Our Lady Gorgoipekoos is the fresco held in the monastery’s chapel. According to the myth in 1664 the trapezarios Neil passing by the icon heard a voice of Theotokos who told him not to pass by the icon with a lit candle in order not to blacken the icon. In a few days he heard the voice again but didn’t pay much attention to that. For his disobedience Theotokos made him blind. After Neil’s ardent praying Theotokos give him back the ability to see and told him “I’m the hostess of this monastery, Mother of God and Gorgoipekoos (the one who answers the prayers promptly)”. Then the monks fenced the icon and built a chapel in 1723.