Skites

Στο Άγιον Όρος οι μοναχοί δεν ζουν όλοι στις Ιερές Μονές ή στην πρωτεύουσα των Καρυών. Από την εποχή του Αθα­νασίου του Αθωνίτη, που συνάθροισε μερι­κές από τις μικρές μοναστικές κοινότητες που υπήρχαν, τις "Λαύρες", στη Μονή της Με­γίστης Λαύρας, την πρώτη Μονή στον Άθω, πολλοί μοναχοί ζούσαν σε μικρές οργανω­μένες μοναστικές κοινότητες, με κοινά χα­ρακτηριστικά τους τη εργασία και την κοινή λατρεία. Οι ερημίτες, αντίθετα, πάντα ζού­σαν και προσεύχονταν, στις ταπεινές τους Καλύβες ή σε σπηλιές.

Στο Άγιο Όρος υπάρχουν περίπου 20 Σκή­τες, μεγαλύτεροι δηλαδή οικισμοί κτισμένοι γύρω από ένα ναό, το "Κυριάκο".

Ουσιαστικά οι Σκήτες διαφέρουν από τα Κε­λιά ως προς την οργάνωση. Η Σκήτη διευθύ­νεται και διοικείται από τον Δικαίο μαζί με το συμβούλιο των Συμπρακτόρων οι οποίοι εκλέ­γονται από την σύναξη όλων των αδελφών της Σκήτης. Το διακόνημα του Δικαίου αναλαμ­βάνουν εκ περιτροπής οι γέροντες των Κα­λυβών της Σκήτης.

Σε αντίθεση με τις Σκήτες, τα Κελιά διοικού­νται από τον μοναχό που αναγνωρίζεται ως Γέροντας του συγκεκριμένου κελιού από την κυρίαρχη Μονή.

Ανάμεσα στα πιο ονομαστά Κελιά είναι το "Αξιον Εστί" στα βόρεια των Καρυών σε από­σταση μισής ώρας. Στον Άθω υπάρχουν πολ­λά μικρότερα Κελιά διασκορπισμένα. Ιδιαίτερα ενδιαφέρον, παρουσιάζει λόγω της ιστορίας του, το Ρωσικό Κελί "Αμπιτέλ" που ανήκει στη Μονή Χελανδαρίου χρονολογείται από την εποχή του Αγίου Σάββα και είναι αφιερωμένο στον Άγιο Ιγνάτιο. Με υποστήριξη των Ρώσων, οικοδομήθηκαν πολλά και μεγαλοπρεπή κτίρια με μεγάλες πτέρυγες ξενώνων, τεράστια κουζίνα, μεγαλοπρεπή χώρο υποδοχής και πολλά εργαστήρια. Εδώ δημιουργήθηκε το κέντρο της "αδελφότητας" των Ρώσων Αθωνιτών μοναχών. Όλη όμως αυτή η μεγαλοπρέπεια χάθηκε σε μια πυρκαγιά το 1905 και το Κελί ποτέ δεν ανάκτησε το προηγούμενο μεγαλείο του.

Οι Σκήτες και τα Κελιά ανήκουν στις κυρίαρχες Μονές, αν και μέχρι ενός σημείου είναι αυτοδιοίκητα.

Συχνά προσφέρουν τα προϊόντα της εργασίας τους, όπως φρούτα και λαχανικά και σε αντάλ­λαγμα προμηθεύονται όσα προϊόντα δεν μπο­ρούν να παράγουν. Οι μοναχοί αυτών των "εξαρτημάτων" επισκέπτονται συχνά τις κυ­ρίαρχες Μονές, κυρίως όμως κατά τις μεγάλες πανηγύρεις των πολιούχων αγίων τους.

Από τις Σκήτες του Αγίου Όρους, μερικές εί­ναι μεγάλης ηλικίας, όπως αυτή της Αγίας Άννας που χρονολογείται από το 1007. Άλλες πάλι είχαν τεράστιες διαστάσεις αλλά σήμε­ρα είναι ερειπωμένες, όπως π.χ. το "Σεράϊ", η Σκήτη που οικοδομήθηκε με χρήματα του Ρώσου τσάρου Αλεξάνδρου Β'.

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.