Athos mountins monasteries

Mount Athos
The Garden of the Mother of God

Mount Athos or Agion Oros, as it is locally known, is the oldest

surviving monastic community in the world. It dates back more than
a thousand years, to Byzantine times. It is a unique monastic
republic, which, although part of Greece, it is governed by it's own
local administration. It occupies the best part of the Athos peninsula
in Halkidiki. It consists of a range which runs south-east for thirty
miles from Xerxes' Canal, where Xerxes the Persian King cut a canal
across the peninsula for his ships to pass. A rugged, sea-battered
peninsula 56 kilometers long. Two kilometers wide at the canal, it
broadens to eight, with a long back-bone rising into peaks of
roughly five hundred, six hundred, six hundred and fifty, eight
hundred and fifty and a thousand meters. Finally the imposing
marble summit of Athos itself, 2,039 meters high, 6,670 feet of
grey-white crystalline limestone. It's snow cupped peak is usually
crowned by white
clouds, an awesome
sight to see.
Because of it's
isolation Mount Athos
has remained one of
the most unspoiled
parts of Greece. The
landscape is stunning
and wild, with small
green valleys and
gorges, well wooded

peaks interspersed with precipitous ravines and an inaccessible

coastline. Small streams of crystal clear water run free under the
deep shade of the chestnut trees. Here and there in this wilderness
are the fortified walls of the monasteries, with small vegetable plots
around them, encircled by a silver-green sea of the olive groves.
Hidden among the greenery and the impassable gorges, perched in
the most unexpected positions is the white speckle of a little hut
were a hermit spends his days in solitude and contemplation. It is a
land where myth is entwined with history, miracles mingle with
reality. Savage mountain scenery reflecting on the dark blue sea
create that essential framework of isolation in a peaceful, solitary
world, chosen by the hermits for their monastic state.

According to the legend Panagia, the Virgin Mary and Mother of

God, was sailing accompanied by St John the Evangelist on her way
from Joppa to Cyprus to visit Lazarus. When the ship was blown out
of course to then pagan Athos it was forced to drop anchor near the
port of Klement, close to the present monastery of Iviron. The
Virgin walked ashore and, overwhelmed by the wonderful and wild
natural beauty of the mountain she blessed it and asked her Son for
it to be her garden. A voice was heard; "let this place be your
inheritance and your garden, a paradise and a haven of salvation for
those seeking to be saved". Since that moment the mountain was
consecrated as the garden of the Mother of God and is out of
bounds to any other
women.
The history and
fortunes of Mount Athos
were turbulent and
varied through the
centuries. Grandeur
alternated with decline,
prosperity was followed
by poverty, destruction
with rebuilding. It is
certainly true that
Mount Athos was populated in pre-Christian days. Herodotus, the

ancient Greek historian, mentions a number of cities there and an

oracle of Apollo. It is also true that there were hermits on Mount
Athos in the 7th century AD. However, the first historical reference
of the Mountain as a monastic centre is in a passage stating that
monks from Athos took part in the Council of 843 AD, convened by
Theodora the Byzantine Empress, to discuss the restoration of the
Holy Icons. In 885 the Emperor Basilios the Ist issued
a Chrysobullo (imperial edict) officially recognising Athos as a
territory belonging exclusively to monks. It declared that only
religious men should live there and all other laymen, shepherds etc,
were forbidden to enter the "Garden of the Virgin".
The first historically confirmed hermits were Peter the Athoniatis
and Euthymios of Salonica, both of them dating around 840 AD,
both of them very influential in the history of Mount Athos. As
tradition would have it Peter the Athoniatis was also sailing past
Mount Athos when he found his ship miraculously rooted in the sea
off Karavostasi (the Bay of the Standing Ship). Immediately he
realized that this was a heavenly sign that his journey was over. He
promptly climbed up the savage ravine and into a cave, watched in
astonishment by the ship's crew, who were able to sail forthwith.
That was the start of fifty years of solitude and canonisation after
his death. When a hunter discovered him nearing the end of his life
he was so moved by the hermit's sanctity he vowed to follow the
ascetic life himself. However, when the converted hunter arrived the
following year with a little band of followers he found the future
saint already dead and his bones strewn on the cave floor. The
bones were reverently collected and kept by the monks of
Klementos, a monastery which stood where Iviron stands today. The
monk's story implies that in 840 AD, when Peter the Athonite
arrived the mountain was largely uninhabited, but by the time of his
death 50 years later the monastery of Klementos was already built.
The young Euthymios had arrived at the mountain by then. He was
born near Ankara in 823 and, after leaving a wife and child he took
up the life of the hermit in Mount Athos. In 862 he became head of
a community of monks and was able to establish numerous hermit
settlements throughout the Mountain and Halkidiki, during the
second half of the ninth century. A certain John Kolovos also arrived

to Mount Athos and together with Euthymios founded the monastery

of Kolovou in 875. One account places it near the village of Ierissos,
well outside the present day border. Others place it at Megali
Vigla, inside Mount Athos. What is certain is that Kolovou lasted for
a whole century, and in the last quarter of the tenth century it was
taken over by the Great Lavra, which was founded by Athanasios in
963.

Great Lavra (left) is the leading monastery on the Mountain today.

It was founded by Athanasios, who although from a very rich family,
entered the Mountain as a peasant, intending to loose his identity.
Up to that time the few monks who had already settled there were
living either in communities or as hermits, under a leader called
who they called Protos (The First). In 972 the seat ofProtos was
transferred to Messi (the middle of the mountain) which
subsequently changed it's name to Karyes and became the
administrative centre of Mount Athos. Athanasios was discovered by
his childhood friend Nikiphoros Phokas, soon to become a Byzantine
Emperor, who offered him the funds to build a great monastery.
Great Lavra was built in 963 in the very place where Athanasios
spent his initiation and was populated by eighty monks. Gradually
more monasteries on the Great Lavra model came into being and
the hermit system gave
way to the monastic.
The construction of
monumental buildings
and harbors had
shocked some of the
old-fashioned hermits,
the most prominent of
which was Pavlos
Xeropotaminos, who
perceived the ascetic
life as an escape to the
wilderness, total
solitude and complete
withdrawal from secular life. They accused Athanasios of bringing

the outside world into the Mountain and protested to the Byzantine
Emperor Ioannis Tsimiskis. Through his representative Euthymios
the emperor not only did not uphold the accusations but recognized
and confirmed the rights of the big monasteries. The rules and
disciplines of Athanasios were formulated in the
first Typikon(Charter) in 971 AD and this document still governs life
on Athos today. It was written on a goat skin and for that reason it
was called Tragos (Billy-goat).

By the eleventh century the

number of monasteries increased
greatly, some say to 180. However,
from the end of that century
frequent pirate raids took their toll
and drastically reduced their
numbers. During the thirteenth
century the Latins occupied Mount
Athos and the monks were
subjected not only to frequent
raids but also to great pressure to
accept the unification of the two
churches. It was one of the darkest
periods of Mount Athos and many monks were tortured and
executed. This pressure eased during the reign of Andronikos the
IInd who provided the funds for the monks to restore their
properties. More pirate raids and pillaging by Catalan mercenaries
reduced the number of monasteries to twenty five. Successive
Byzantine Emperors and even Serbian rulers provided donations
which helped Mount Athos to return to its former glory. Indeed
many of the Emperors sought refuge in the solitude of the Mountain
and spend their old age there under the anonymity of the black
monastic cloth.
The fifteenth century was by far the most peaceful period for the
Mountain. This peace was broken by the fall of Constantinople in
1453 which brought Mount Athos under Turkish occupation that
lasted for the next 400 years. However, Sultans Murat the IInd and
Mohammed the IInd, issued firmans (Turkish Edicts) recognising the

rights of the monasteries and Mount Athos as "the country in which

day and night the name of God is revered .... a refuge for the needy
and for travellers". During this period - 17th and 18th centuries Mount Athos became a centre for the development and preservation
of Greek culture and heritage. An Athonite Academy was founded
close to the monastery of Vatopedi, which produced such illustrious
pupils as Kosmas Aitolos, Athanasios Parios and Tzertzoulas. Also
the monk Kosmas Lavriotis established a Greek printing press at
Lavra, which contributed to the spread of books among the enslaved
Greek people. All this ended with the outbreak of the war of
independence in 1821, which the monks supported wholeheartedly
and helped, even fought in it, until the eventual liberation. The last
century brought another up-turn in the fortunes of Mount Athos with
a large influx of monks from Orthodox Bulgaria, Rumania and
especially Russia.
Today there are 20 monasteries of which 17 are Greek, one Russian,
one Serbian, and one Bulgarian. There are also
twelve Skites (similar to monasteries but much smaller), a large
number of Kellia (large farm houses),Kalyves (smaller
houses), Kathismata (small houses for a single monk)
and Hesychasteria (hermitages or caves in desolate cliff faces, for
the most austere hermits). The constitution of Mount Athos is
traditional, based on seven Typika (decrees) dating from 971 to
1810 and ratified by the Treaty of Lasagne in 1923. Each monastery
is autonomous and is led by the Igoumenos (Abbot), helped by a
committee. The Skites, Kellia etc are usually dependencies of a
monastery. The legislative authority is the Holy Assembly which
consists of the 20 Abbots of the monasteries. They meet at Karyes
twice a year to ratify legislative decisions relating to the monastic
life. The administrative authority is exercised by the Holy
Community, twenty elected members, one from each monastery.
They are appointed on the 1st of January for one year and live at
Karyes, the capital. The executive authority is exercised by the Holy
Epistasia a committee of four representatives. The monasteries are
divided into five groups of four monasteries. On the 1st of June
each monastery in a group appoints a representative who takes his
place in the Holy Epistasia for a year. The next year another group
of monasteries provides the representatives so that each monastery

is represented once every five years. Although the four

representatives are equal in rank, the one from the senior
monastery in the group is appointed Protos (leader). Great Lavra,
Vatopedi, Iviron, Hilandari, and Dionysiou are considered the senior
monasteries in Mount Athos.

The world of Mount Athos is a different world, full of mysticism and

religious contemplation. The daily lives and religious practices of the
monks are according to strict Byzantine rules, stated in
the Typikon and unaltered throughout the centuries. The moment
one steps his foot on the Holy Mountain he finds himself back in
time, literally. The Julian calendar is still being used so the date is
fourteen days behind the rest of the world. Which means that
Christmas is celebrated fourteen days late. At sunrise the clocks
point to one oclock and at
sunset to twelve oclock.
When someone enters Mount
Athos with the view to taking
the vows he usually chooses
a monastery and presents
himself to the Committee.
The applicant must not be
less than eighteen years old,
he must belong to the
Orthodox Church, and must
be applying in his own free
will. Foreigners automatically acquire the right of residence and
Greek nationality. If he is accepted he is appointed to some humble
post such as kitchen help or helping to cultivate the land. The
initiation period which usually lasts for three years is to test the new
recruit's strength of faith, resilience and suitability. Taking the vows
is not a decision to be taken lightly and the Dokimos (on test) has
to be certain. From the moment he is ordained as a monk his entire
life is dedicated to the quest of reaching for god, a life of continuous
prayer and contemplation. Only when the new recruit feels ready
and the Abbot agrees he is ordained and is allowed to wear the
monastic gown and hat.

The ceremony is a joyous and moving occasion, akin to baptism.

The officiating priest in his regalia invites theDokimos (on test) into
the church. The future monk enters, without his habit and monastic
hat, and kneels at the altar before the Igoumenos (Abbot), to the
sounds of the chanting choir and the ringing of the church bells.
First the priest offers thanks for his rescue from a world full of sin.
Then in a series of question and answers between abbot, priest and
himself kneeling, the novice confirms repeatedly that he is taking
the vows in his own free will. He confirms that he intends to
continue in the monastic state and to abide by the rules of the
monastery by taking the vows of stability, obedience, poverty and
chastity. To emphasize his desire to enter the monastic life he offers
the ceremonial pair of scissors to the priest. The officiating priest
cuts a few hair crosswise from the novice's head, in the name of the
Trinity, and covers the shorn head with the monastic hat, draping
the black monastic cloak over his shoulders to the joyous sounds of
the choir. He has just become a monk of the Little Habit. If he ever
feels the need for advancement, for more prayer and solitude, he
could take the next step and enter the Greater Habit.
He has now died to the outside world and has been re-born into the
holy world of Mount Athos. He gives up his past life, his name, his
status and property. He takes up the name of one of the saints with
the same initial as his original name. Instead of a surname he uses
the name of the monastery where he lives. All monasteries are
now Coenoveatic (communal) so he is given a sparse room and
habits to wear. He is also appointed to a particular job, when he is
not in church. To exit Mount Athos he needs the permission of
the Igoumenos(Abbot). Following their ordination many monks have
never visited the secular outside world.

The life of the monk is divided into three equal parts, one for
praying, one for working and one for resting. He is waken by the
repetitive beat of thesymantron ( a long wooden symbol hit by a
mallet ) at 11 p.m. for an hour of private prayer. Counting the knots
of the rosary he repeats theKyrie Eleison "Lord Jesus Christ, have
mercy on me". Then back to sleep until 4 a.m. when the sounds of
the symantron fill the courtyards and the dark corridors once more,

inviting everybody to the church for matins and the chanting of the
hours. The Liturgy follows, timed to be celebrated at sun-rise, when
the gates of the monastery are opened. At the end of the Liturgy, at
about 10.30 a.m., the Igoumenos (Abbot) leads his monks to the
refectory for the main meal of the day and from there everybody
goes to their allotted tasks. One more service is celebrated in the
church during the afternoon, depending on the time of year either
at 3 p.m. for nones or at 5 p.m. for vespers. After vespers there is
the supper at 7 p.m. and then the monk is free to retire. On certain
occasions a vigil is celebrated which calls for a continuous service
throughout the evening, night
and the following morning.
The monks have two main
meals a day, one at half past
ten in the morning and supper
at about seven in the evening.
Meals are taken in the richly
adorned refectory, while a
reader on a pulpit reads from
the New Testament throughout
the meal. The food is basic: a
seasonal salad, baked beans or lentils cooked in plenty of water like
soup, a dish made of all the seasonal vegetables cooked together in
one pot, salted fish, olives, fetta cheese, brown bread, fried
potatoes and always the delicious local red wine. At festivals fish is
served but never meat. The Igoumenos (Abbot) sits at the top table
and marks the start and the end of the meal with the ringing of a
bell and a prayer. A single meal without oil is eaten at noon on
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Neither meat, fish, cheese,
butter, nor eggs are permitted during the forty days of Lent ending
in Easter. The most reverent monks eat nothing during the last days
of the fast. A similar abstinence takes place during the Lent of the
Apostles Peter and Paul, (from Monday after All Saints Day to June
28), during the fourteen day Lent of the Mother of God, (from the
1st of August to the 14th) and during the Christmas Lent, beginning
on 15th of November and ending on the night of Christmas Eve.

An ancient law exist which forbids a "road upon which a wheel can
run" to be built between Karyes and the rest of the world. Mount
Athos treasures it's isolation and is only accessible by boat. The
basic conditions for admission are defined in a Chrysobullo (edict)
which was issued by the Byzantine Emperor Constantine
Monomahos, in 1060 AD It is still valid and decrees
that: (a) Women are never admitted into Mount Athos, (b) a permit
is required for anyone entering the territory and (c)overnight stay is
forbidden except for those who have proven religious or scientific
interests and are over 18
years old.
The procedure to obtain the
appropriate permit is
complicated and lengthy,
especially for non Orthodox
visitors. There is a daily quota
of 120 Orthodox pilgrims and
10 non Orthodox. Orthodox
Greeks can apply by
producing their identity card
at the Athos Bureau
in Ouranoupolis. Non Orthodox pilgrims have to establish a valid
reason for visiting Mount Athos, by producing a letter of
recommendation from their embassy or an academic institution.
They must also explain in another letter the reason for their
proposed visit. Sightseeing or tourism are not valid reasons.
Pilgrimage or study are. The two letters and passport have to be
submitted a least a month ahead of the proposed date of the visit to
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Directorate of Churches in Athens, or
to the Ministry of Northern Greece, Directorate of Civil Affairs in
Thessaloniki. An authorization is issued which should be presented
to the Athos Bureau in Ouranoupolis a day before the visit where
theDiamonitirion (permit) is produced, specifying the date of entry.
The maximum stay permitted is four days. The ship sails the next
day from the jetty by the Byzantine tower.

After entry the pilgrims are free to visit any monastery they wish.
The monasteries uphold a long tradition of hospitality for those who
need Mount Athos, those who seek solace, relief from the troubles
of the outside world or those who are on a pilgrimage. Food and a
bed to sleep are provided entirely free, although the conditions are
basic and visitors are expected to conduct themselves according to
certain standards. Much of the traveling is done either by boat or on
foot for the roads are
narrow and winding dirttracks.
As the pilgrims approach
each monastery they
cannot fail to be moved
by the stunning natural
scenery and the
imposing architecture.
The monasteries are
fortified Byzantine
castles with monumental
walls all around and a courtyard in the centre. Others look like
unassailable towers. The monastery of Simonos Petras (above) is a
good example. It is perched on a large bolder a testimony of
glorious times past. There are many architectural styles, enough to
keep an architectural historian busy for the rest of his life. The
monastery of St Panteleimon (left) is a good example. It was built
by monks who came from Russia, hence it is called Rossiko, and the
style clearly reflects the Russian influence. Successive Tsars
bestowed it with wealth and treasures which made it one of the
largest and richest monasteries in Mount Athos.
The entrance to a monastery is through two large, fortified gates,
one on the outside and one on the inside of the outer wall. There
the pilgrims meet the gate-keeper, a monk whose job to close the
doors at sunset and open them again at sun-rise. He checks the
permits and leads them to the Arhondariki (the reception room).
The Arhondaris (guest master) offers all pilgrims the traditional
welcome, a Loukoumi (Turkish delight), a glass of raki (home made
Ouzo), a cup of Greek coffee and a glass of cool Athos water. The

experienced guest eats the Turkish delight in one, tosses the raki
down, and sips the coffee at leisure. Then pilgrims are led to their
rooms to rest. At approximately four o'clock the hollow beat of
the symantron invites everybody to the church for vespers. After
vespers the Igoumenos (Abbot) leads everybody to the refectory for
the evening meal, while a reader reads from the pulpit. Non
Orthodox visitors may be asked to eat in a separate room. When
theIgoumenos (Abbot) declares the end of the meal by ringing a bell
and a short Eucharist, the pilgrims are taken to the main church in
order to pay their respects to the miraculous icons and the Holy
Remains which are part of the heritage of each monastery. Some
sightseeing is excused but the visitor must always remember that
he is considered by the monks to be a pilgrim, not a tourist. The
monks are quite happy to answer all questions, to show the
treasures, the ancient icons, the wall murals, the golden Holy
Artifacts, as long as the intention is to venerate, not to simply
admire them. Do not hold your hands behind your back as if on a
sight-seeing tour, hold them in front of you in a sign of reverence.
The rest of the evening is free but monks retire early. Ask to be
awaken for the 4 a.m. matins which is a truly unique experience. To
the sound of the symantron everybody enters the main church
which is dimly lit by a few candles and the oil lamps in front of the
icons. The monks are dark shadows, shuffling to their usual seats.
The chanting is out of this world and the myrrh sweetens the air
adding to the mysticism of the occasion. The soul is uplifted and the
visitor realizes the true beauty of Mount Athos, a beauty which can
bring you so close to heaven.

Inside the monasteries and the numerous churches there is an

unimaginable wealth of unique treasures; religious frescoes
decorate every wall, rare mosaics, libraries stacked with ancient
publications and ImperialChrysobulls (Edicts), ancient icons many of
them adorned in gold, many of them miraculous, precious art
miniatures, ecclesiastical artifacts covered in gold and precious
stones, the presents from pious Byzantine Emperors. The Holy
remains of many saints, and the largest piece of the Holy Cross. For
Mount Athos has preserved the largest collection of Christian art in

the world, a rich heritage amassed over many centuries, the

donations of successive Byzantine, Russian and Slav emperors.
They are unique works of art and each monastery is proud of it's
own heritage.
The earliest murals on Mount
Athos are from the 12th century.
They are found at the monastery
of Vatopedi and show the
Apostles Peter and Paul. At
Karyes, the capital and seat of
the administrative assembly
stands the church of Protato, the
oldest on the Mountain ( 10th
century). It is without doubt one
of the most important churches
on Mount Athos for its ancient
walls are adorned with frescoes
(right) painted by Emmanuel
Panselinos, the last of the great
mural painters from the
Macedonian School of Art (14th century). His work can be found in
many other churches on Mount Athos. Murals of this school of art as
well as murals of the Cretan School of Art which flourished later
(16th century) decorate the churches in the monasteries of Agia
Lavra, Vatopedi, Iviron, Koutloumousiou and Doheiariou. Equally
important murals but dating from the 18th century can be found in
the monasteries of Xenophondos, Grigoriou, Pandocratoros,
Philotheou, Karakalou, Xeropotamou and Esfigmenou.
Icons are an integral part of the Orthodox Christian belief and
tradition. Mount Athos developed an icon painting industry at an
early age which is thriving even today. The earliest icons are from
the 10th century. There must be close to 18,000 icons on the
Mountain today and their styles span the centuries, from the
austere Byzantine to the more decadent Renaissance. Many of them
are thought to have performed miracles, particularly those of the
Virgin Mary.

Another tradition closely associated with Mount Athos is that of

calligraphy. The original Typicon (constitution) ordained that a
calligrapher should be resident at the Monastery of Great Lavra and
a printing press existed during the Turkish occupation. Most
monasteries maintain large libraries which are real treasure-chests
of knowledge. One of the better known libraries is that
of Philotheou. Although fires, pirate raids and the Turkish occupation
took their toll on the collections, an enormous amount of books and
manuscripts survive, such as the first Typikon (charter) from 971
AD which is written on a goat skin. Rare books, beautifully
illuminated manuscripts and unique Chrysobulls (imperial decrees)
signed by the hand of Byzantine Emperors, are reverently preserved
for posterity and form an integral part of the inheritance of each
monastery.

The beauty of Mount Athos is in it's timelessness. It is as if the

monastic part of the Byzantine world has been preserved in this
quiet, full of mysticism corner of the world. It is not only a living
museum, but principally it is a place for prayer and contemplation,
free from external influences. There, the monastic ideals and way of
life have been preserved in their purest form. Privileged are those
who have been able to visit for a
pilgrimage there.

Enter the monastery to pay your

respects to the Holly Treasures.

Before you leave enter one of the many churches.

Return to Ouranoupolis