The Holy Monastery of St. Raphael is 14 km north of Mytilene and 3 km from the settlement of Thermi, on the hill of Karyes, in the olive groves.

The present-day women's convent was founded in 1963 and opened in 1969. It consists of two temples built on top of each other to include the saints' graves. In the upper church, which is dedicated to St. Raphael, you can see his tomb, while in the lower temple, which is dedicated to the Assumption, are the tombs of St. Nicholas, of St. Irene and her father. There is also a large church of St. Magdalen, chapels and gallery. In the courtyard of the temple, there is a sanctuary, which comes out of the ground.

The miraculous St. Raphael, Nicolas and Eirini are known for their miracles to this day. They appear alive to the faithful either in the form of a monk or beggar and give them courage or suggest them to worship and visit the monastery. There have been many miracles of health after the sprinkling of the holy oil of the saints on patients. They not only cure physical ailments, but above all they help the immortal soul find its salvation. Paralyzed stand up, deaf people find their hearing, blind people find their sight, tumors are disappeared, psycological problems are solved. Their miracles are endless. Their appearances are so noticeable that many admit that they saw them, listened to them and treated them.

In 1235, it was a women's convent and in 1463 it functioned as a male. At that time the Turks were looking for Christians and they were hiding in the Monastery. The Turks arrived at the Monastery and arrested Abbot Raphael, Diacon Nicolas, and the father of 12 years old Irene ,  Proestos Vasilios. They tortured them to confess where the Christians were hiding.

Saint Raphael had earlier hidden in the cache a miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary and sacred vessels in order not to fall into the hands of the Turks. As the Turkish army arrives in the courtyard of the monastery, Saint Raphael shows them the large cross he wore as an archimandrite, kisses it and says "we worship Him and we will never abandon Him". The Turks tortured the Saints with great ferocity. Saint Raphael had been pulled by the hair and the beard down a rugged path, had been beaten, until he filled the stones with his blood. He was then brought back to the courtyard of the monastery and bound from a tree upside down (with his head down) and was continuously beaten with a stick. Opposite him to another tree, Turks tied Agios Nikolaos and tortured him too.

Saint Nicholas, being physically weak, did not stand for long and surrendered his sanctified soul to the hands of God. Saint Raphael was tortured from Holy Thursday until Easter Tuesday, when two Turks killed him by sawing him. It was April 9th. (The memory of Saint Raphael and the martyrs Nicholas and Peace is celebrated by our Church on Easter Tuesday because such a day was April 9, 1463.)

St. Irene was also tortured, they cut her arm, put her in a big pot and burnt her in front of her parents. (In the monastery, you can see the pot where St. Irene was burnt and you can also see the bones of her hand)

After the massacre, the Turks burned down the monastery and left. A monk named Stavros temporarily escaped from the slaughter and buried the bodies of the Saints.

Opening hours of the monastery are from 07:00 am. until sunset and you need to be well dressed.

There is regular public transport to visit the monastery or you can rent a car from Avance Lesvos.