The Monastery of St. John was possibly founded in the 11th century in the absence of conclusive historical evidence. Τhe original monastery was situated approximately 500m NE of Skala village at the site called 'Palaiomonastiro' ( 'Old monastery') where church ruins can be seen today.
   Τhe icon of St John the Baptist was miraculously founded by shepherds on the opposite slope amidst a dazzling bright light at night. It was discovered inside a cave at a location named 'Stefania' ('Wreaths') a location near the current Monastery. Both the clergy and local people decided to erect a monastery in honour of the Saint. A mutual agreement was reached for the subsequent construction at 'Kalogeriko Aloni' location ('Monastic Threshing Floor'), northwest of our Monastery. Bizarrely enough, at night the building materials were being transferred to a lower position where the current Monastery stands.
    First official written reference is found in a 1688 document by the Venetian governor of Nafpaktos Giannandrea Trivizan.
   Local provincial governor reports (1836) that the Monastery operated as Stavropegic (directly subordinated to the Patriarchate) almost until the Greek Revolution.