Mount Athos (Agion Oros)
MOUNT ATHOS (AGION OROS)
Far away from the rest of Macedonia and the whole world as well, there is a natural and spiritual paradise with a special glory and magnificence, namely the eastern peninsula of Halkidiki, Mount Athos (Agion Oros), the bay of ancient Greeks or as monks put it, the “land of Virgin Mary”. Mount Athos consists of twenty monasteries, several hermitages and places of absolute tranquility.
This is the religious community of Mount Athos, including historical monasteries, cells in caves or between the rocks, towers, domes, belfries, chants, etc. Mount Athos is a great temple having sky as a vault; it is the chief standard bearer of Orthodox Christianity.
Mount Athos covers an area of about 336 kilometers, with 112 coastal kilometers and 1550 inhabitants; it is an imposing place in the northern Aegean, surrounded by trees and bluff cliffs.
Its summit (2033 meters high) extends to the sky and approaches the clouds. When the atmosphere is clean you can view from the little church of Metamorfosi Sotiros (Transfiguration of Christ) nearly half the Aegean; the bays of Troy in the east and the summits of Olympos in the west. Some of the monks can also discern the dome of Agia Sofia springing like a flower from the earth in the East.
Today in Mount Athos there are 20 monasteries and 12 hermitages.
The twenty monasteries in hierarchical order are as follows:
- Megisti Lavra
- Vatopedion
- Iviron
- Helandarion
- Dionysiou
- Koutloumousiou
- Pantokrator
- Xiropotamou
- Zografou
- Dochiariou
- Karakalou
- Filotheou
- Simon Petra
- Agios Pavlou
- Stavronikita
- Xenofon
- Gregorios
- Esfigmenou
- Panteleimon (Russian monastery)
- Konstamonitis
The 12 hermitages are:
1. AgiaAnna
2. Agia Triada
3. Theotokos
4. Agios Dimitrios (Lakos)
5. Agios Dimitrios (Vatopedion)
6. Timios Prodromos (Layreotiki)
7. Timios Prodromos (Iviron)
8. Agios Andreas
9. Agios Panteleimon
10. Kimisis Theotokou (The Assumption)
Apart from the above-mentioned monasteries and hermitages there are also cells, hovels, monks and the so-called “askitiria”, tranquil places where the “askites” (monks) live in complete solitude.
Famous “askitiria” are Karoulia, which are hanging caves in the southern bluff cliffs of Athos, close to the sea. There, live the most discipline monks (askites) of the mountain.
Mount Athos is a live museum of history and art.
The architecture of the monasteries has the typical Byzantine monastery shape. All of them have a fort in order to be protected from invasions either by pirates or other conquerors. The buildings have cells at the top part and are built in safe places with extra walls and towers. In the middle of the building complex there is a courtyard, which includes the “katholiko” (cardinal monastery), the “trapeza” (refectory), “fiali” and chapels. The way they were built is not known yet; as a matter of fact it is related to certain traditions and legends.
The towers are high, powerful and imposing guards and sentinels protecting the other monasteries. Next to them the bell towers, the domes and the cypresses seem to be lancing the sky.
“Katholika” are the cardinal churches of the monasteries and they all have the same athonite architectural style. In particular, they have four pillars, a big central dome as well as others around them and chapels. These are three niches with double narthex, the inner narthex and the outer narthex. The dome illustrates the Pantokrator (God). The temples are made of wood or marble and they are of fine art. The pillars are made of marble too. They have nice capitals and unique paintings at the walls. Finally, the inner part of “kahtoliko” is decorated by marvelous icons, kneeling-desks, chandeliers, cressets, antechoirs, portable icons, marble inlays, etc
Close to the entrance of “katholiko”, in the courtyard of the monastery, there is “fiali”. “Fiali” is made of marble and its shape is either circular or polygonal. It has nice pillars and dome. In the middle of “fiali” there is the “anavrytirio”, from which the holy water springs.
Across the entrance of the monastery there is “trapeza” and the restaurant of the monks. It is a spacious hall with many marble or wooden tables. The pulpit is always present in “trapeza”. During the lunch or dinner the reader reads holy scripts. In some of its walls one can enjoy fine wall paintings.
Close to “trapeza” there is the kitchen, the oven and the storage rooms.
The courtyard is surrounded by tall buildings with the cells of the monks. Some of them are masterpieces of the Macedonian and Byzantine architecture. The “archontaki” (hostel) is a neat, typical place, which is built in every monastery
In every monastery there is “arsanas”, a small port, to which the monks have access via a really picturesque, but tiresome path.
“Katholiko”, “trapeza” of the monks, the numerous chapels of Mount Athos constitute the treasure of the Byzantine hagiography. In their walls, many hagiographers, such as Manuel Panselinos, Theophanis, Kris, Michael Astrapas, created eternal masterpieces of art.
For almost one thousand years Mount Athos remains the greatest, authentic Byzantine Greek cultural centre, which made known a lot of artists and accepted hagiographers from all over the world, thus offering a profound effect on painting in all Orthodox Christianity.
Apart from the paintings, numerous portable icons also constitute part of the cultural treasure of Mount Athos. Some of them are extremely old and it is believed that they have miraculous effects or that they are not made by human hand. According to fascinating
traditional legends, the Athonite icons are supposed to have first appeared in Mount Athos. Some of these icons are the following: the notorious icon of Virgin Mary “Axion Esti” in Protostaton or the icon “Portaitissa” in the Monastery of Iviros, the icon “Odigitra” (leader) in Helandarion, the icon “Koukouzelissa” in Lavra, etc. Moreover, another invaluable treasure is said to be the miniatures of the manuscripts of the Mount illustrating exceptional pictures of Holy persons and prophets.
There are also mosaics and sculptures.
Some creations of miniature art are one of their kind, made of jewels, ivory, wood, gold, etc
It is also worth-mentioning that the treasure of Mount Athos extends to other pieces of art, such as holy crosses, unique cloths of the Evangel, golden and silver chalices, holy objects, epitaphs weaved or quilted by gold, valuable vests, etc.
According to the old customs and the bill of rights, Mount Athos is a self-governed territory of the Greek state (regarding its religious aspect it is subject to the Ecumenical Patriarch). The executive authority is exercised by the four members of Holy Supervision, whereas the legislative authority is exercised by the twenty members of Holy Assembly to which all monasteries are subject. The Superior of the Holy Supervision represents the first monastery in hierarchical order and is called Protos (First) or Protoepistatis (Fist Supervisor). All members are elected in absolute democratic procedures by the monks. The political leader of Mount Athos is elected by the Greek State and is subject to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Karyes is the executive house of Mount Athos. Dafni is an area of utmost importance in Karyes
Furthermore, Mount Athos is visited only by men with a special permit, women are not allowed in.
All monasteries are communes. Monk’s life is strict, “askaetic” (live in solitude), with continual prayers and services, vigils, fasting, spiritual and manual activities. The chaplet is part and parcel of the monks; it is the medium for their meditation in counting prayers. Each bead is formed by nine crosses, which stand for the nine orders of Angels.
The monks follow the old Julian calendar and the Byzantine time (O during the sunset, apart from Ivyrians, who count the hours based on the sunrise). By the sunset all monasteries are closed. They open again when the sun rises. Before the sunrise a person in every monastery who rings the bells following a certain rhythm, thus calling his brothers in the matin. Such is the belief in God the monks in Mount Athos have, that when they hear the bells they feel the need to participate in the matin, listen to the psalms and feel overwhelmed by the unique atmosphere the candles and the icons of Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary create
Each service is held with absolute zeal and devotion to God. Some people argue that they feel their soul flying away in the realm of Angels.
Each monastery has a special day of celebration, honouring in this way the name of their saint (agios). However, the most important celebration is the feast of the 15th of August, which is dedicated to Virgin Mary (15th / 28th of August with the old calendar).
During these two days all monasteries are neat and specially decorated. The bells ring calling the monks and other believers to celebrate all together. After the service all monks are offered a great meal, with fresh bread, special fish and a wine of a unique, rich flavour, which is kept in the storage rooms for this special occasion.
In order to get a broad idea of the life in Mount Athos you need to pay a lot of visits, walk down its paths, listen to the bells, the psalms, go to the cardinal monasteries, as well as the “askitiria”, the hermitages
and the caves, attend the matins and evening prayers, eat at the “trapeza”, spend time staring at the Aegean sea, have little talks with the wise, old and saint people, as well as with the young, educated monks, who decided to turn away the life most people lead and devote themselves to God. Also, you need to visit the libraries and the sacristies, so that you can get informed of their treasures, enjoy the outstanding natural beauty, the sunset and sunrise. Finally, you have to open your heart in the holy icons and live this eternal ark of Orthodox.