In the codex of Bishop Nikiforos Mormoris of Kythera there is the history of the building of Agia Moni dated 1767.
According to the code, on one of the two peaks of the homonymous mountain there was an ancient exomoneion honoured in the name of the Virgin Mary.
On September 23, 1766, a shepherd named Viaros found a two-faced icon of the Virgin Mary in a skiff with the inscription ’The Monastery of the DANCERS ELPIS«.
On the other side was the icon of Saint George. At the spot of the find a starburst had fallen, which burned all around, but left the icon intact. The then Bishop Nikiforos Mormoris went on the spot with an escort and they saw the ruins of the old church and cells, which once served as a monks' commune. Immediately, Nikephoros took the initiative and provided commissioners and priests with letters of recommendation for the renovation of the old church, appealing to all Cypriots and faithful Christians to support the work.
During the 19th century, the Bishops of Kythera, Prokopios Kallonas and Eugenios Machairiotis, have associated their names with Saint Moni. Kallonas, from 1840 to 1855, took the lead in the expansion and renovation of the church. Houses for pilgrims and water tanks were built, and the church was equipped with furniture, brass candelabra and large bells. In 1839 the delicate and worn old silver garment of the icon was replaced with a gilded one, the work of Nikolaos Spithakis, the well-known artist of Myrtidiotissa. On the garment is engraved the name of the artist with the date AOLTH (1839) and the name of Kallona with his family coat of arms. In 1848 the construction of the first bell tower began. In 1854, the master builder Michael Kypriotis of Koninos from Kypriotianika undertook to extend the church to the west and form the magnificent entrance. Kallonas' work was continued by his successor Eugenios Machairiotis (1857-1877).
Originally the church belonged to the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Kythera. From the protocol of Bishop Konstantinos Stratoulis (1882-1892) we are informed that Agia Moni was placed under the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Kytheria and Potamia and is governed by 4 commissioners. The parish priest was appointed by the Bishop. In 1886 there was a parish priest, a monk and 4 elderly nuns «...maintained at their own expense...»
In 1889 the famous architects and lepers Andreas Faceas of Christos, Antonis Vlantis of Nikolaos, Panagiotis Lourantos of Vretos and Panagiotis Leontsinis of Emmanuel undertook to rebuild a new magnificent and artistic bell tower.
In the 19th century, the icon of Saint Moni was litigated in the villages of the island from November and for a long period of time according to a schedule. In 1903, Bishop Efthimios Kavathas banned the rotation of the Icon «...for the sake of convenience and respect...»
Because of the political gatherings, he believed that during the procession, the proper respect was not observed. Since then, the icon has remained permanently in the pilgrimage, which is managed by the Committee of the Domestic Property, assisted by the Church Council.
