Our trip to Greece (Fedya and I, August 2007)

First, we went to Meteora, a group of monasteries located on high cliffs. Until the 1920's the only way to get to the monasteries was in the net lifted by a wooden winch which was moved by a couple of monks. Unfortunately, later a road and steps have been built, and now there are just way too many tourists there. The monasteries are operating but the crowds must be difficult to bear for the monks and nuns.
  • Courtyard of St. Stephen Monastery in Meteora
  • The same courtyard
  • St. Stephen Monastery
  • Here one can see three of the Meteora monasteries
  • The Monastery of Great Meteora
  • A monastery in Meteora
  • Inside the Great Meteora
  • St. Varlaam Monastery
  • Bell in St. Nicholas Monastery From now on all pictures are from Athos. We took "St. Panteleimon", the only big boat connecting Athos with the "Big Land".
  • Athos folk waiting for the boat
  • One of the first stops (port is behind the rocks)
  • One of the first monasteries (probably Docheariou or Xenophontes)
  • St. Panteleimon (The Russian Monastery of St. Panteleimon is huge. It is also called New Rousikon. The old one is higher in the mountains. In the beginning of the 20th century there were almost 2000 monks in St. Panteleimon, plus huge number of pilgrims. In fact, in the beginning of the 20th century Russians were majority on Athos. After the revolution this has obviously changed, and today there are about 40 monks in St. Panteleimon. They say that at least 5000 applications from Russia have been submitted to the Greek authorities.
  • A typical scene in Karyes, the "capital" of Athos
  • The church of the monastery Philotheou (This church has two miracle working icons: "The Sweet Kissing" and "Gerondissa", as well as the right hand of St. John Chysostom, and many other holy relics. The fingers on the hand of St. John Chrysostom are set as if for blessing. The relics are taken out every evening for veneration, and the priest blesses some people by the hand of St. John, which is taken out of the box for this occasion).
  • Balcony in Philotheou
  • My bed in Philotheou (We stayed in Philotheou for 4 nights, then moved to Iviron, then to St. Andrew's skete and then to St. Panteleimon)
  • Philotheou church in the evening
  • View from Philotheou (one can spot Iviron Monastery by the sea)
  • Same place with a flower
  • Same place with me
  • Gates of Philotheou
  • Karakallou Monastery
  • The church of Karakallou
  • Karakallou garden
  • Standard Athos treat (Athos hospitality includes a treat for all guests. There is a special guest master who is responsible for it in every monastery. The treat usually includes: a glass of cold water, a small cup of strong Greek coffee, loukoumi (turkish delight), and a shot of rakia (Greek vodka). Athos water is amazingly good. It comes from the Holy Mountain and many springs and has healing properties.)
  • Beautiful buildings in Karakallou
  • Courtyard in Karakallou
  • A skete (smaller monastery) (There are 20 major monasteries on Athos, but lots and lots of smaller ones, which are all dependencies of the major ones. Smaller units include sketes, kalyve, kellia, caves, etc.)
  • Our group near one of the springs
  • The big monastery by the sea is Iviron (Iviron was founded in the 10th century by the Georgians, whence the name (Iberia). It is home to the famous Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, see more below.)
  • Dionisiou Monastery
  • Father Prokopii (An Athos monk from America who was our kind translator).
  • Mount Athos itself (2000 meters right above the sea, it is an impressive mountain from even purely geographical point of view)
  • Southern coast with a port of St. Paul Monastery
  • St. Paul Monastery
  • At Iviron (We visited Iviron during Dormition, its feast day. The monastery had about 1500 guests from other monasteries and all over Greece, including a Mitropolit. The total number of people was probably around 1500. There were 4 sittings in the refectory to feed all people in the evening. The all night Vigil lasted more than 12 hours, with the best Athos singers present, and even three guests from Moscow Byzantine choir. Every guest got a tourist mattress and was invited to sleep at any spot he could find. We found an exellent roof.)
  • At Iviron (outside the gates)
  • Iviron from the place where the Iviron Icon has appeared---it came by the sea)
  • A port building near Iviron
  • At the courtyard of Iviron
  • Procession with the miracle working Iviron Icon of the Mother of God (a very short story of this amazing icon: it was cast to the sea during the times of iconoclasm (720-840) and appeared in the sea near the monastery in 1004. It bears a sword wound with dried blood on cheek and neck (visible on the picture). This wound was inflicted by an Arab during a pirate raid. Blood gushed from the icon and sprinkled the pirate, who began to tremble and was immediately baptized becoming a monk. There is a profecy that when the icon leaves Athos in the last times, the monks should also depart.)
  • A representative of the small Athos police force (Several policeman were present at Iviron during Dormition in view of the large crowds. They were really needed to direct the crowds, especially near refectory, where you can see a bunch of hungry Greeks. The police look quite comical. For example, they cross themselves, kiss priest's hand, and sing at the Church all the while holding the crowds and making space for various processions. Also, since women are not allowed on Athos, they are either single or come and leave for periods of time...)
  • Iviron with Mt. Athos on the background
  • Shore near Iviron
  • Field near Iviron with Mt. Athos on the background
  • Iviron Cove
  • Iviron Port
  • Iviron garden
  • Evening at Iviron
  • Evening at Iviron Courtyard
  • Mt. Athos from near St. Andrew Skete (another huge formerly Russian monastery)
  • Courtyard in the monastery of Vatopedi (Vatopedi is one of the oldest Athos monasteries. A monastic establishment was founded here in the 4th century, but the Vatopedi monastery itself was founded in the 10th century. It produced many saints, and has as many as 5 miracle working icons, one of which is Pantanassa. This is a lot, even for Athos. Vatopedi also has sash of the Mother of God. The sash is made of camel's hair and gives off a sweet otherworldly scent).
  • (Back of) the church in Vatopedi
  • Buildings in Vatopedi (wooods in the frontground)
  • Vatopedi refectory
  • Frescos on the church in Vatopedi
  • Our group is approaching St. Elijah Skete (a third major former Russian monastery on the Holy Mountain. In the better times there were almost 2000 monks in St. Panteleimon, 500 in St. Andrew and 500 in St. Eliah. Now there are probably less than 20 Greek monks in St. Elijah)
  • St. Eliah is really beautiful. (It is not Byzantine but Russian style of course).
  • The church in St. Elijah
  • Our group in the courtyard of St. Elijah
  • Iconostasis in St. Elijah (This is unmistakenly Russian. We've been told that this iconostasis contains two tons of gold and was built by the Russian tsar. I am not sure about 2 tons but it surely has a lot of gold.)
  • Fedya by the well of St. Paisius Velichkovski (The well still gives an excellent water)
  • Fedya nourishes himself
  • View of Pantocrator Monastery
  • St. Paisii Velichkovskii lived in one of these cellias
  • With our very hospitable guest master in St. Eliah
  • Mt. Athos from the Pantokrator Monastery
  • Courtyard in Pantocrator
  • The Xeropotamou Monastery
  • Courtyard in Xeropotamou
  • Balcony in Xeropotamou
  • The Russian monastery of St. Panteleimon (By the way, it was visited by Putin in 2005).
  • View from our room in St. Panteleimon
  • Sunset at St. Panteleimon
  • St. Panteleimon
  • St. Panteleimon in the evening
  • Walls of St. Panteleimon
  • Time to go back
  • Last glimpse of the Holy Mountain

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