Monastery Zografou

Founded: 10th century
Founder: Moysis,Aaron and Ioannis
Feast-day: 23rd of April
Library: 388 Slavic and 126 Greek manuscripts
Collection: The two icons of Agios Georgios

It is the first monastery on the SW of side the peninsula,at a distance of one hour from the sea. From the Tarsana(tower) on the beach with its characteristic agioritiko architecture, begins the road which ,despite the waterstream, leads to a kerb called Megalou Zigou,and once you've reached the end you will find standing impressively the imposing monastery.

Tradition claims that three brothers, Moses, Aaron and Ioannis, sons of the king of Archidas Ioustinianou,founded in the beginning of the monastic genealogy the monastery of Zografou.They have been claimed to not have decided to who this monastery should be dedicated to, so they left the issue to Gods will by depositing a piece of wood near the alter of the central church. After a while they saw the image of St. George depicted on this piece of wood and respected His wish so that is why this abbey was named St. George of the Painter (ZOGRAFOU meaning painter). In the 10th century,the golden bull was signed simultaneously by four kings who lived in the monastery from the 9th until the 14th century (Leon the 6th the Wise 972, Ioannis Ouglessis: 1371). More solid basis for the history of the monastery, can be considered an insertion to a "list" in"The first Tipiko TRAGOS" signed by Tsimiski in 972 and refered to the monastery as "St. George of the painter". In 980 it has already aquired the land surrounding the actual building together with the territory , a conclusion clearly made by written documents . Near the 11th century,the documents signed by the abbot Ioannis (1049 and 1051)were in greek.The first known abbot signing in bulgarian was Simeon in 1169. This proves that sometime between 1051 and 1169 the monastery was taken over or granted to Bulgarian monks. In any case, all abbots after Simeon, signed in bulgarian.This reveals that this monastery is Bulgarian.

By the Bulgarian kings it is first known that the monastery was protected by Ioannis Kaliman in 1192. Most important however elected protector and benefactor was Ioannis 2nd Asan (1218-1241),who is refered to as the owner of the Abbey, up to today.Well known Byzantine Rulers who protected it include Maria Tzousmeni (1142), daughter of the Emperor Ioannis Komninou. From the relative document we learn that previous protectors were Alexios 1st Komninos (1081 -1118) and his brother Manouel. Official documents in favour of the Abbey (1266,.1267, 1276) refer to the fact that Micheal 7th Paleologos (1259-1282) was also a ruler,but whos name was and policies were connected with the Filenotikon raids against various monasteries including the one of Zografou. Throughout the whole region 26 victims of this raid are still being honered. This Abbey was also protected by Andronikos 2nd (1282-1328), Andronikos 3rd (1328-1341) and Ioannis 5th (1341-1376).

Serbian kings also assisted the Abbey but most of all Stefanos Dusan (1331 -1355) and Ioannis Ouglesis (1350-1371). In the period of the Turkish domination the most important perhaps protector of the Abbey was Stefanos the Great(1457-1504) Voivod of Moldavia, who also built the tower 'Tarsana'. Intellectual belief and strong rejection against all racial discrimination were and are the sovereign elements for the organization "Abbey of Bulgarians" in the monastic community of Mount Athos. The prevailiing reciprocity and brotherhood in the relationship between the orthodox nationalities in Athos,are virtues revealed to us also by the fact that both Greek and Bulgarian monks lived together in the Abbey during the mid 19th century. Ofcourse up to 1845 the preachings were in both languages. The Greek signs on the wallpaintings also testify this.

From the architectural point of view,the east and south wings built more traditional, together with the west and north which are of more new technique built in the 2nd half of the last century complete the imposing monastery.In the courtyard, apart from the catholic, also standing are the graphic chapel of the Virgin Mary (Akathistou), built in 1764, the marbel bottle and the cenotaph dedicated to the real victims who sacrificed their lives in order to save the monastery.

Monastery Xiropotamou

Founded: 10th century
Founder: Pavlos Xiropotamitis
Feast-day: 9th of March
Library: 409 manuscripts
Collection: "The Disc of Poulcheria"

The Holy Monastery of Xeropotamou, a classic example of Athonite architecture, is more or less in the middle of the Athos peninsula in a conspicuous position, at 200 metres above sea level.

Xeropotamou is one of the oldest Athonite monasteries, but its early history remains obscure as to its exact date of foundation and the identity of the founder. Oral tradition makes the founder of the Monastery the Empress Pulcheria, who lived in the 5th century, while another version regards the founders as the 10thcentury Emperors Constantine VI Porphyrogennetus and Romanus I Lecapenus.

In the manuscripts and various documents there is some obscurity about the name of the Monastery and the personality of Blessed Paul, probably Xeropotamou's principal founder. Paul was in all likelihood an ascetic who was highly regarded on Athos, a contemporary of St Athanasius. Oral tradition identifies him as the son of Michael I Rhanghaves.

The Monastery flourished until the 13th century, when in the years of Frankish rule, it suffered from financial difficulties and pirate raids. However, it soon obtained the assistance of Byzantine Emperors, particularly after the fire of 1280, and with donations and chrysobulls thae rights of ownership of the Monastery were confirmed (13th - 14th centuries). Other donations from the principalities of Wallachia and Hungro-Walachia were the means of renewal and prolonged prosperity in the life of Xeropotamou, and among its benefactors must be numbered the Sultan Selim I. Like the other monasteries, Xeropotamou has had periods of decline. Two catastrophic fires in the early 16th and 17th centuries and the burden of debt in the 18th brought it to a low point. Between 1821 and 1830 the Monastery was occupied by Turkish troops, while in more modern times, in 1950 and 1973, it was again damaged by fires.

Today the Monastery of Xeropotamou occupies eighth place in the hierarchy of coenobia. In its ownership are the port of Dafni and its six surviving kellia. The Monastery has seven chapels inside its precinct and nine outside. The katholikon is dedicated to the Forty Holy Martyrs and was built in the 18th century on the site of an earlier church. Outside the katholikon is the holy water phiale, constructed in red marble in the last quarter of the 18th century at the expense of a learned monk of the Monastery, Kaisarios Dapontes. The library contains 409 manuscripts and some 6,000 printed books. Among the treasures of Xeropotamou are the paten of Pulcheria, made of steatite, relics of saints, goldembroidered vestments, and priceless episcopal staffs, but its greatest treasure consists of two pieces of the True Cross, the largest anywhere in the world, which have a hole made by one of the nails of the Crucifixion. At present the Monastery has about 25 benevolent and peace-loving monks.

Monastery Xenofondos

Founded: End of 10th century
Founder: Blessed Xenofon
Feast-day: 23rd of April
Library: 555 manuscripts
Collection: The two mosaic icons of Agios Georgios and Agios Dimitrios

Monastery Xenofondos is the second Monastery that we meet along the coast of the SW side of the peninsula.Built directly on the coast, one can see how much it has developed as it is almost three times bigger than the initial building, after reconstruction work which took place in 1800. The Abbey, which is dedicated to Saint George, is reported in documents dating back to 1000 and until 1035, where it was refered to with the name "Xenofondos".

Osios Xenophon was the owner, as it is expressed and characterized in documents of the 11th century and also from other documents (from 998 and 1018). This name is also reported in the Life of Saint Athanassios the Athonian. Around 1080 -during the ruling of the emperor Nikiforos of Votaniati - the "biggest drougarios" (admiral) Stefanos came to the Abbey, where he became a monk with the name Simeon. With his financial support, his care but also his experience as a king, the Monastery, which was at that time "uncared for and abused", was reconstructed: he began with the construction of walls, the temple, and continued onto the construction of buildings. He offered heirlooms and granted it with properties . However, dissatisfaction began to grow amonst the monks because certain terms and rules of monastic life were violated so that Simeon could complete his work.

It the 13th century big destructions were caused to the Abbey from the Latin crusaders raids. However by the end of the 14th century it possessed the eighth place among the 25 Abbeys. During the Ottoman domination the Abbey passed through precessions like the danger of desolation and the situation of succession. For example, V. Barski in his first visit found Abbey in great dept and only 3-4 monks living there. When however its cenobitic life was restored, in 1784, with first abbot the worthy geromonaho (old monk) Paisio from Lesvos, it began a period of rectification and acne.Within 24 years the monks became roughly 60.In 1817 or 1819 the catholic (central church ) was founded.In 1817 fire caused mass destructions to buildings as well as in the files of the Abbey. The re-establishment of the abbey was helped by the former bishop of Samakovou, Filotheos, who had withdrawn in order to become a monk for the Abbey.

Apart from the old and new catholic there are also 11 other chapels. From the many heirlooms that this abbey posesses, it's whorthwhile to mention the 2 big mosaic icons of Saint George and Saint Dimitrios, that date back to the second half of the 12th century, the Byzantine icon of the Virgin Mary (Odigitria) , the icon of Metamorfosis (end of the 12th century), a fragment of the Holy Cross etc.

In the 19th century, the Abbey also elected scholar monks (Leontios Kesarefs, Nikiforos Kolintzis, Nikiforos Kalogeras), as well as the neomartira (new wittness) Chrisantho, who testified the same day with the Patriarch Grigorios the 5th.

Monastery Vatopediou

Founded: 972-985 A.D.
Founder: Athanasios, Nikolaos, Antonios
Feast-day: 25th of March
Library: Byzantine and post-Byzantine manuscripts
Collection: Icons, Painted masterpieces

The Abbey of Vatopedi appears with rich buildings on the NE coast of the peninsula, on the most eastern side. When looking at it from the sea, the fish huts, the tarsana, the warehouses, and the walled sea front gardens all stretching out in front, it gives the impression of a small city or of a big castle, that overflowed into the coast. Also the fruit and the olive trees, the waterfalls, the water mills, the laboratories and workers huts add to this marvel. Its name is usually associated with the determinations, "Lavra", "big" the "biggest abbey".

The title 'founder' that has been awarded to the emperor Theodosia the Great, during the middle of the 4th century, as a result of a myth. According to historical traditions though, founders were three sovereigns from Adrianoupolis, Athanassios, Nikolaos and Antonios. And according to two older documents (985 and 1016) its first abbot Nikolaos was the one from the three.

Very fast after its foundation it reached a fairly high position, but only after 1366, it permanently takes on without any dispute, the second place in the hierarchy. Komninos also being very interested himself, assisted the monastery when needed.

In the mid 12th century, two formalities of the royal Serbian house with the solitary names Savas and Simeon, arrived and lived in the abbey: They were Rastko and Stefanos Nemania, son and father, founders then of the Abbey Helandariou and leading Saints of the Serbian church. Sources of the 13th century (2nd half) result in that the Abbey suffered big destructions from western invaders, during the Frago Occupation, and only after the sponsoring of Byzantine kings could it be restored.

Also remarkable is the caring by Zervon sovereigns, such as Stefanos Dusan in the mid 14th century, which continued in to the 15th. The solitary life that was exercised in the Abbey Helandariou had not been forgotten. This is why this monastery is considered to have been the first Abbey that imported the idiorythmic way of life (mid 14th century). After transformations in the 17th century though, it remained a way of life up to fairly recent. In 1989 however this abbey also reverted to the cenobitic way.

In the current architectural form of the Abbey's grounds, strengthened with powerful towers, encompass a comfortable courtyard, where you would find, apart from the catholic and opposite that the dining room, the oldest dated bell tower on Mount Athos (1426), two wall painted chapels and various other buildings.

From the many icons this Abbey possesses, very well known are the icons of the Virgin Mary with the title: "Eleovritis ", "Ktitorisa", "Vimatarissa", as well as the wall paintings of: "Tales", "Antifonitria" and "Esfagmeni". The abbey also has many other precious other heirlooms.