Monastery Koutloumousiou

Founded: 11th century
Founder: Blessed Koutloumousis
Feast-day: 6th of August
Library: 756 manuscripts
Collection: Icon-chest of ancient portable icons 

The monastery of Koutloumousiou is founded next to Karies ,on the edge of a small valley that opens facing the sea, and surrounded by forest mountainsides.For the foundation and the strange name that it has, various opinions have been formulated but without general acceptance. In a document of 1329, from the then Protos of Mount Athos,a statement stands out refering to the monastery with the following words "everything excellent and he is a good Koutloumousis and an abbot who always stands out ".This however cannot be considered as a reference to the founder of this monastery as another document from the monastery of Saint Panteleimonos in 1169 was signed by the abbot of the Koutloumousiou Monastery, Isaias. So this alone proves that the monastery existed before then . Several historians consider it likely that it first appeared in the 11th century. In any case,as far as foundation goes ,and according to P. Ouspenski, most of the history available is mostly based upon guesses,and remains unproved.

Like other abbeys, when it was first built, it was very small and was enlarged and fortified later, in the 14th century. The contribution of the abbot of Haritonos (who was also an Ouggrovlahian Metropolitan bishop) for its protection against raids, is memorable: He travelled seven times under unfavourable conditions to the paradounavian areas for the discovery of resources so that : "...castle is built within the monastery ...". Thus,during this period , the Monastery was legitimately named "the Haritonos". In 1393 the patriarch Antonios rewarded the conscientious efforts and nominated the Abbey as patriatric and under the Patriarch's juridiction.

The souvereigns of the countries we mentioned before, continued efforts of strengthening during all the 15th century . At the turning-point of the 15th to the 16th century,Radoulos the Great (1496-1508) volunteered with generous offers to repair the buildings of the Abbey that suffered damage from the devastating fire in 1497, so that by his death the NW department had been completed , and after his death the defensive tower began to be built.

Separate interest showed Neagoe Basarab (1512-1521). As we can see from the biogaraphy of the Life of Patriarch Nifonos: "...complete reconstruction in and out of this monastery ... and enclose it within walls ...". Apart from the big fire in 1497, other fires were reported in 1767,.1856,.1870 and the last just a few years back in 1979, what in combination with the soft soil surface in the region, contributed to the increase of frequent successive renovations this Abbey has needed.

Monastery Konstamonitou

Founded: 11th century
Founder: Kastamonitis
Feast-day: 27th of December
Library: 110 manuscripts
Collection: An icon of the First Martyr Stephanos and two icons of Virgin Mary

The Holy Monastery of Konstamonitou stands in one of the most picturesque spots on Athos, surrounded by woodland and half an hour away from the Singitic Gulf.

A tradition makes the founder of the Monastery Constantine the Great or one of his sons, but it is more likely that its foundation is connected with an ascetic of the name of Kastomonites, hence the Monastery's alternative name of Kastamonitou. There are references in certain texts of the 11th century to Kastamonitou, but its history can be clearly traced only from the 14th century onwards - a period at which the Monastery suffered badly from pirate raids.

Among the Monastery's benefactors were Prince George Brancovits, Anna, Princess of Serbia, and Radits, Commander-in-Chief of Serbia, who helped the Monastery in a variety of ways in the 15th century. However, in spite of such financial support, the taxation of the Turks led the monks to obtain loans from Jewish moneylenders and brought the Monastery close to ruin. In 1705, the intervention of the French Consul Armand was the salvation of Konstamonitou. In 1717 the east wing of the Monastery was burnt down. Restoration began in 1818 under Abbot Chrysanthos with help from Kyra Vassiliki, the wife of Ali Pasha (of Yannina). In the mid 19th century the poor financial state of the Monastery led to its being put under the guardianship of the Holy Community. The vigorous Abbot Symeon helped to put the Monastery on its feet again and with the funds which he amassed built the katholikon in 1867 on the ruins of its predecessor, and restored other buildings. The katholikon is dedicated to St Stephen the Protomartyr.

The Monastery has five chapels within its precinct and four outside. Among its treasures are a miraculous icon of St Stephen, a work of the 8th century, and two wonder-working icons of Our Lady Hodeghetria and Our Lady Antiphonetria. It also possesses a piece of the True Cross, a Byzantine liturgical bier cover, vestments, and sacred vessels.

The library of Konstamonitou contains 110 manuscripts and approximately 5,000 printed books. The Monastery occupies twentieth place in the hierarchy of the monasteries and today has so hardworking monks.

Monastery Karakalou

Founded: 11th century
Founder: Unknown
Feast-day: 29th of June
Library: 279 manuscripts
Collection: The icon of "Christ the Pantocrator" (15th century)

The Monastery Karakalou is founded on the NE side of the peninsula, on an elation of an intense downhill slope, at a distance of half an hour east of the Abbey Filotheou and at an equal distance from the sea. It is dedicated in the memory of the Apostles Petros and Pavlos.Various opinions as to the origin of the name of the Abbey have been expressed.Many have no base, eg the one that attributes her foundation, to the Roman emperor Karakalla (211-217 A.C.), or the one that connects the name with the Turkish words "kara-koule'" (black tower), which however we could say is more persuasive because of the frequent appearance of similar Turkish surnames during the midbyzantine period.

The existence of the Abbey, since the 11th century, is proved through a document 1018, that was saved in the records of Megistis Lavras , and in which its NE boundaries with the Abbey Amalfinon are determined .Reports also claim that it suffered horrible raids and pillages during the Fragokratia period. Its name is often presented in official documents during the period of Andronikos Paleologou the 2nd and in the acts of Protatos, which date back to the first half of the 14th century (eg 1314,.1324,.1345, 1350).

The renovation of the abbey in the 16th century, is connected to the generosity of the souvereign of Vlahias Petros Rares. In 1535, with the mediation of the Moldovlahian sultan Souleiman the 1st who sent out a declaration in which he recognized that "the certain monastery was in need of renovation " and allowed "renovations to the ancient buildings...", but no building on the existing foundations". A year later the coastal tower was built . In the engraved signs, apart from the founders ,the architect -something extraordinary - is also cited : "...Siropoulos Dionisios Hatzis and architect . The tower and the barbakas are completed". That is to say apart from the tower there was also a wall in the form of a - small castle - which surrounded the dining room and the cells . The entrance to the Barbaka became possible with a wooded ladder which would be lowered when needed .

During the 17th century important donations to the Abbey are reported: the metohi of Saint Nikolaos in Ismailia and the economic subsidy of the King of Iviros Arthil. Then,according to Georgirini,there were 500 monks living in the Abbey.

In 1707, with the subscription of the previous abbot Neofitou the northern wing is renovated.During the same century serious repairs and additions to the monastery are also made.The next phase of intense building activity, is expressed after the fire in 1875.

The tower of the Abbey presents remarkable elements in its shape and is one of the most beautiful towers on Mount Athos : with stretched out bastions, that offer dynamism but also elegance.

Monastery Iviron

Founded: End of 10th century
Founder: Iviras Ioannis, Efthimios
Feast-day: 15th of August
Library: 2.000 manuscripts
Collection: The icons of the old iconostasis

The Monastery Iviron was founded on the NE coast of the peninsula, in the middle of small coastal valley that unfolds in between a big torrent and a graphic hill slope. The Iviros monks before building their own monastery first appear living in the monastery of Megisitis Lavras during the reign of the king Nikiforos Fokas (963-969). A little later they constituted a particular "escort" with head monk Ioannis the Iviron and moved into a neighboring cell. This "escort" member Ioannis Tornikios, a former general of Ivirias, accepts this move as a repression of mutiny in the Byzantine state. After the successful result of military confrontation, his emperor Vasilios the 2nd provides rich gifts of remuneration and sets down the law (979/80), in which, apart from other gifts, he also grants the Abbey Klimentos to them. This Abbey which was found in the place of the current Abbey of Iviron, first appears as an Iberian fraternity, maintaining her initial name until 1015. The opinion that Ioannis the Iviras and Tornikios is the same person still exists.

During the mid 10th century the Abbey possesses among others the Monastery of Poligiros (or Pteleotou) in Halkidiki, while in the 11th century, with a law, Micheal of Paflagonos the 4th, restores her sovereign rights in her older belongings. During the period of the Frago Occupation (13th century) after many piratical raids, the "proud abbey" ended up as a space deserted and inhuman...» therefore the Byzantine king Micheal Paleologos the 1st proceeds in 1259 with the law of the reestablishment of possessions and its rights and exemption from taxation. Particular interest showed also his successor, Andronikos the 2nd.

During the mid 14th century after the meeting of the Arch bishops, the performance of the divine services in the catholic are established in the Greek language and a Greek abbot is appointed. During the Ottoman domination it was supported with subscriptions by the sovereigns of Ivirias (Gorgoranis, Kaihosrois in the 15th century, Alexandros the 6th in the 16th century) and others. Sovereigns of the Paradounavion countries such as Neagoe Basarab in the 16th century as well as the Archbishop Dionisios G Vardalis in the J7th century also assisted this monastery. In 1821 the Abbey offered a lot of assistance towards the aid of fighting.

The tarsana tower gives one a glimpse of what to expect from the rest of the monastery. The imposing new classical style of it welcomes the pilgrim and directs him precisely north towards a spacious courtyard between the catholic left and the central group of buildings dining room and cells right. The Catholic and the dining room are found facing each other. The Abbey of Iviron is also known as the Abbey of Portaitissa. This icon of the Virgin Mary constitutes major adoration within the whole monastic republic and is safe kept in a special temple near the entrance of the monastery.