The Holy Mountain

Mount Athos was the main destination of our trip. Our pilgrimage took us to the most important spiritual center of the Orthodox Fath, where spiritual warriors fight the passions and the demons through prayer, fasting, and constant self-examination.

An early glimpse of the Holy Mountain from the ferry.



Simon Petra monastery. One of the most striking monasteries to behold, Simon Petra is constructed atop a large cliff, where a builder of the monastery plummited but miraculously survived!



Denis and I at the guesthouse of Dionysiou Monastery. At every Athonite Monastery, guests are welcomed by the monks with offerings of Ouzo, water, and Loukoumi (Turkish Delight).



The Refractory at Dionysiou. After Vespers all the pilgrims and monks would file into the refractory for an Athonite supper. Since it was during the fast, we ate vegan food in silence while one of the monks read from the lives of the Saints (Since photos were prohibited inside the monasteries, this photo is taken from ¡ www.macedonian-heritage.gr).



Hiking to St. Paul Monastery. While Denis and I often took ferries and 'buses' (i.e. vans where we crammed in like sardines) to get around the Mountain, we took full advantage of this beautiful hike along the coastline of the peninsula.



St. Paul Monastary.



Inside the Katholikon (the central Church) at Saint Paul's. Here we attended services before supper (vespers), at sundown (compline), and early in the morning (the First Hour, Matins, and the Divine Liturgy). As tiring as it was being awoken at 3:00 in the morning for a 4 hour service in Greek, it was an amazing experience to greet the coming day in prayer and worship (Photo from www.macedonian-heritage.gr).


Signs of devotion fill the landscape of the Holy Mountain. This cross could be seen from the ferry, a visible declaration of the sanctity of the monastic peninsula.


An entrance to the Philotheou Monastery. Not far from this spot I sat in a beautiful terrace overlooking the sea, while a monastic Father shared his wisdom and eager pilgrims asked him questions. Fortunately I could listen in on a Texan pilgrim who was translating the discussion for his son.



The Iveron Monastery. Even though they had met their 'quota' of pilgrims, a Father at the guesthouse took compassion on us and accepted us for the night. Denis and I agreed to peel vegetables as a service to them while we talked with a young American pilgrim who was retreating at the monastery. The large crane in this picture is a sign of the many restoration projects currently underway across the Athonite Peninsula.


The interior of Iveron Monastery. On the left is the 'Katholikon', the central church at the monastery. This church is perhaps not as important (or famous) as the small chapel by the gate where the miracle-working Portatissi Icon is kept.



A view of Panteleimon Monastery, the only Russian Monastery at Mount Athos. This was by far the largest monastery we saw, boasting, among other peculiarities, the second largest bell in the world.



Denis and I with some pilgrims from Czech Republic at Panteleimon Monastery. Behind us is a spring by the harbour where we awaited our final departure from Mount Athos.