Inscription
The inscription which is part of a monastic foundation charter was engraved on a now lost column found in 1730 in situ.: "Through the mercy and abundant compassion of Almighty God, and at his command, a divinely protected edifice – the all-holy new bridge over the river called Iris, near the fort of Lakedaimon – was built by me, the monk Nikodemos. This edifice worthy of God having been completed by my humble self, I resolved at God’s command to raise up from the foundations a holy and beautiful church to our Lord Jesus Christ on the left part of the bridge, so that a church might exist for the safe-keeping of this little bridge. This church was built in the reign of the most pious emperor Constantine [VIII (1025-1028)]. [...] After my death, let the monastery be governed and rightly guided by the aforementioned [officials]. Let either both of them, or only one [...], select someone good and useful from among the monks in the monastery and appoint him superior. [...] Thus the superior should lovingly take care of the church and the bridge and the brothers. Should he be negligent, let him be removed and suffer the penalties of disgrace [...]. The present Testament was written at the behest of me, the monk Nikodemos, on the first [day] of the month of May, in the tenth indiction, in the year 6536 [= 1027 A.D.]."
