The church of Panagia Soumela (Virgin Mary Soumela) is situated at the village of Kastania just 18 kilometers away from the city of Veria and approximately 90 kilometers from Thessaloniki. It was built in 1951 by refugees from the Pontos region as well as the initiative of the author Filonas Ktenidis, in an effort to revive the original monastery of Panagia Soumela, which was built on the mountain Mela near Trapezounta.
The monastery of Trapezounta was hosting the miraculous icon of Virgin Mary Soumela, that according to the tradition was painted by Evangelist Luke himself. After the mediation of the great politician Eleutherios Venizelos, the icon came to Greece and hosted at the Byzantine Museum of Athens for 20 years. Then after the erection of Soumela church at Kastania in 1951 and its inauguration in 1952, the miraculous icon was transferred there.
Together with the miraculous icon a series of heirlooms and relics from the old monastery of Trapezounta are housed at Panagia Soumela in Kastania. The church celebrates on the 15th of August at the day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, but it attracts thousands of pilgrims and visitors on an annual basis.