Mount Athos - a monastery. Monasteries of St. Athos

"May this place be your inheritance, and your garden, and paradise, and the wharf of salvation, desiring to be saved," said the Lord in response to the request of the Blessed Virgin for the gift of Mount Athos. Since then, this mountain received the status of the Holy Mountain at the request of the Most Holy Theotokos. According to legend, this happened in the year 49, since then no woman has visited this blessed place. So the Mother of God commanded, protecting the peace and peace of the monks who dedicated themselves to the Lord.

Earthly destiny of the Mother of God

Mount Athos is a peninsula in Eastern Greece, rising more than 2000 meters above sea level. The population of the Holy Mountain is a monastic community. All the monasteries of St. Athos are dormitory, just about 1,500 monks live on the Mount. Almost the entire peninsula is covered with rich and lush vegetation. The beauty of the place impresses with its pristine power, it is believed that it is because of the greatness of the local beauties that the Blessed Virgin has celebrated this place.

The most ancient abodes of the blessed place

The ancient and largest abode is located on the south-eastern part of the peninsula: the Great Lavra was founded in the tenth century and is located at the very foot of the summit. The founder of the monastery is St. Athanasius of Athos, the Lavra occupies a dominant position in the hierarchy of "monasteries of Athos". The Holy Mountain has two dozen monasteries, three of them were founded in the first millennium. In the tenth century St.. John Iversky was founded a monastery, named after the Virgin of Iversk. On the north-eastern part of the peninsula, above the sea, the Vatoped monastery towers majestic, founded around 980. It was founded by three holy elders who arrived on the island to live the monastic life of St. Athanasius. Monastery Vatoped refers to the second step in the hierarchy of "monasteries of Mount Athos". Greece included Athos in the UNESCO World Heritage List, after which the religious interest in the ancient monasteries increased significantly.

New millennium - new monasteries

The beginning of the second millennium on Mount Athos was marked by the appearance of new monastic monasteries in this holy place. In the second century of the second millennium, the Serbian king and his son arrived in Athos and took tonsure, and this served as the basis for the emergence of a new monastery known as Hilandar (Serbian). The place where the monastery originated is characterized by picturesque vegetation and a small distance from the sea (about 4 kilometers). The main icon of the monastery is the icon of the Mother of God "Troeruchitsa", there are on the territory of the monastery and other Orthodox shrines. According to the history of the peninsula, around this same time, another monastery of the monastic community - Mount Athos - began its history. The monastery Kutluush was founded by the Arab, who adopted Christianity, therefore it is considered to be Arabic. This place is famous for its holy relics and vestments, there are many wonderful icons in it.

The smallest holy abode and monastery of "zealots"

From the depths of time, at the turn of the first and second millenniums, the smallest monastery of Mount Athos leads its history. The monastery of Stavronikita was founded by the officer Nikifor Nikita, this small monastery is famous for its great value - an icon of St. Nicholas dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries. Those who want to get to Stavronikit must orient themselves to the eastern part of the peninsula. In the same part of Mount Athos pilgrims will be able to visit a unique monastery that does not have canonical communication with other monasteries of the peninsula. This so-called abode of "zealots" or the monastery of Esfigmen. His history he leads from the tenth century, experienced many disasters, fires. In this abode there are many holy relics.

Miracles of the Bulgarian monastery

The western part of the peninsula will meet pilgrims with silence, prayer pause and the marina of the Bulgarian monastery Zograf. The holy monastery dates back to the beginning of the tenth century, like several other shrines of Mount Athos. The monastery Zograf was founded by three brothers of the royal family from Orchid of Bulgaria. According to legend, the brothers waited a long time for the sign from the Almighty to understand, in honor of which saint to call the monastery. And a sign came: the face of the Great Martyr George appeared on the blackboard. More than once in the holy monastery recorded the miraculous phenomenon of the mercy of God. In the 13th century, one praying elder heard a warning about the impending disaster, after which the icon of the Mother of God "The Forerunner" came to a monastery, carried by angels. Some time later, 26 monks remaining in the temple were burned by the Litians, one icon survived. A year later during the funeral service 26 rays of light descended from the sky.

Greek monasteries on the Holy Mountain

Pilgrims from the Bulgarian monastery, two and a half kilometers, will enter the Greek monastery of Constantonite. Tradition says that the founder of the monastery was the Emperor Constantine the Great himself. Constamonite was originally conceived as a small monastery for Greeks who want to convert to the Christian faith. Repeatedly in the monastery were recorded cases of wonderful Divine mercy, which is famous Mount Athos. Monastery Konstamonit will offer pilgrims to pray at three miraculous icons: Portaitis, Image of St. Stephen, Mother of God Antiphonetry. The monks testify that one day, on the feast of St. Stephen, the monk was concerned about the lack of oil in the monastery. In response to his concern, the jug, which stood under the icon "Antiphonetry", filled itself with oil. This jar of the monks with special pleasure show visitors.

Part of the history of the Russian Orthodox Church in the history of Athonite monasticism

The close connection of Russian Orthodoxy with Athonite monasticism can be traced from the 11th century: near the monastery of Esfigmen, the Russian monk Anthony, the future founder of monasticism in Rus and Kyiv-Pechora Lavra, took tonsure. At various times, many Russian ascetics began their Orthodox path in this blessed place, choosing the monasteries of Athos as their starting point for Orthodoxy. Holy Mountain sheltered also the Russian monastery of St. Panteleimon or Old Rusik. History also points to the Russian sketes: Xylurgu and the hermitage of the holy prophet Elijah. However, for disobedience the Russian monks in the 1990s were deprived of Greek citizenship and expelled from the holy monasteries of Mount Athos. The monastery of St. Panteleimon is now inhabited by Greek monks.

A bold monastery on the Holy Mountain

The testimony of God's grace rises at the very top of the mountain the monastery of Simonapetra or the rock of Simon. The monastery was named after its founder, St. Simon, who followed the vision that appeared to him in a dream. This monastery on Mount Athos strikes pilgrims with boldness and durability of construction and the principles of holiness. The great property that the monastery is rightly proud of is the right hand of Mary Magdalene, which has not been exposed to decay for more than two thousand years, while it remains warm, like the hand of a living person.

Monastery of the monks of different countries

The northeastern part of the peninsula will welcome pilgrims with lush green chestnuts and the abode of Philotheus, one of the most ancient shrines of Mount Athos. The monastery hosted monks from different countries: Russians, Greeks, Canadians, Romanians, Germans. The monastery has many sacred objects, the main of which are two miraculous icons: the two-sided - the Mother of God "Sweet kiss" and "Merciful", who herself came to the temple and determined her place. Pilgrims will be able to contemplate in this monastery also the Part of the Cross of the Lord, the incorrupt hand of John Chrysostom, pray and ask for healing at the foot of Panteleimon the Healer.