Monasteries

  The first monastery one sees on Mount Athos, when travelling from the port of Daphne to the capital Karyes, is Xiropotamou monastery, one of the oldest in the monastic state, dedicated to the Forty Holy Martyrs of Sebaste. The establishment of the monastery took place at the end of the 10th century by the monk Saint Paul, who was … Read More

  On a 50 meters high rock on the east coast of Mount Athos stands the Stavronikita monastery, imposing and alluring by the sea, dedicated to Saint Nicholas, who is greatly honored on Mount Athos. There are several legends about its foundation and naming, none of which have been historically proven. One of them links the monastery’s name to its … Read More

The Holy Monastery of Koutloumousiou, near Karyes, the Capital of Mount Athos, was founded before 1169, when it is first mentioned in records. During the second half of the 14th century, when Chariton of Imbros was abbot, the monastery was generously endowed and restored by the princes of the lands along the Danube. Although Chariton became metropolitan of Hungro-Wallachia in … Read More

  If it were to choose a monastery that has offered a lot for Hellenism and Orthodoxy, especially during the dark centuries of Ottoman rule, then it would be Philotheou monastery, because the teacher of the Nation Saint Cosmas of Aetolia was a monk there. Before Saint Cosmas, equally important missionary work in Greece was provided by two other Philotheite monks, who … Read More

Hilandar monastery, on the northern side of Mount Athos, has been the spiritual center and boast of Serbs for nine centuries. Its history starts in the 10th century, but years later it was abandoned. In 1198 Emperor Alexius III granted it to the Serb princes Stefan Nemanja and his son Rastko, who became monks and acquired the names Simeon and … Read More

Pantocrator’s monastery is built by the sea, on the eastern side of Mount Athos and is dedicated to the Transfiguration of the Lord. The catholicon, this is the central church, is an example of athonite architecture with 14th c. frescoes. The monastery has fifteen chapels with the Dormition of the Theotokos being the most significant. Among the cells of the … Read More

email: arhontariki@imxenophontos.gr St. Xenophon’s monastery is built by the sea, between Dochiariou and St. Panteleimon’s monasteries, on the western side of Mount Athos. It is dedicated to St. George. The monastery has two Catholicons – i.e. main churches – dedicated to the holy Great Martyrs George and Demetrius, while its new Catholicon is the largest one among the twenty monasteries … Read More

  MOUNT ATHOS GREAT LAVRA   Great Lavra, hierarchically the first among the twenty monasteries on Mount Athos, lies on the SE end of Athos peninsula. Its establisher was saint Athanasios the Athonite from Trebizond, who was also the founder of the coenobitic monasticism on the holy mountain; as a result, Great Lavra is considered to be the monastic beginning … Read More

Email: filoxenia@vatopedi.gr Vatopedi monastery is hierarchically the 2nd of the 20 monasteries on Mount Athos. It was buily in the late 10th century by three monks, Athanasios, Nicolaos and Anthonios, who were from Andrianopolis and had been disciples of St. Athanasios Athonite, the establisher of the coenobitic monasticism on the peninsula. Buildings were built throughout the centuries up to 1900. … Read More