Church of St. Simon the Canaanite in the city of New Athos - an interesting architectural structure early Middle Ages. It was built in the heyday of the Abkhazian kingdom (IX-X cent.), And today it is a unique monument of the Abkhazian church architecture school, formed under the influence of Byzantine culture.

According to legend, in the middle of the I st. Apostles Simon the Zealot, and Andrew came into Apsilia. Andrew went further to the north, and the apostle Simon the Zealot lived in a stone cave near the river Psyrtsha. Soon the fame of the preaching work in the city of Simon the Zealot Anakopiya reached the Roman prefects. Later the Apostle suffered martyrdom. Locals turned to Christianity, he buried the body of the apostle. Somewhat later, this place was built the temple, which was the center of Sebastopol and Anakopia dioceses.

The temple was repeatedly destroyed. In November 1875 the ruins of the church passed into the possession of the New Athos monastery of Simon the Zealot, after which the monks engaged in its restoration. As a result of the restoration of the monastery has undergone some changes: most of the walls were whitewashed, and their height was changed, a new cornice, the drum has got a round shape, and the dome - onion. Over the western porch of the monks was layered bell tower. Southern and western porticoes of the entrances have not been recovered. Restoration work in the temple ended in early 1882, the same year he made his solemn consecration.

Currently, the monastery of St. Simon the Zealot - is built of white ashlar medium-sized church. On the walls of the church survived two early medieval Greek inscriptions. The first of these is the southern entrance to the monastery and dates back to the IX-X century., And the second - on the eastern facade of the temple.

Today the Church of the Holy Apostle Simon the Zealot in New Athos is valid.