Tag: monasteries

The holy Monastery Iveron in Mount Athos

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monastery mount athos
Photo By klimaholidays
Mount Athos, also known as Holy Mountain (Hagion Oros) is Greece’ s Orthodox spiritual centre, a self-governed beautiful region located in the eastern part of Chalkidiki‘ s peninsula. In Athos, the UNESCO World Heritage site, there are 20 monasteries of great spiritual and architectural interest and about 700 houses and cells that accommodate approximately 1,000 monks. The doors of the monasteries open at sunrise and close at sunset. Women and children are not allowed in the entire area, about 335 Km². There is also a limit to the number of visitors per day. 
Photo By iviron-monastery
The Iveron Monastery is located by the sea, in the northeast side of the peninsula. It was built at the end of the 10th century, in four aisles forming a rectangular shape, thus creating a yard in the middle. Its main church (katholicon) consists of magnificent frescoes of the 16th century. The library contains 2,000 manuscripts and 20,000 books.   
Photo by iereasanatolikisekklisias
The most popular treasure in the monastery is the Byzantine icon of Panagia Portaitissa. This icon is considered to be the most miraculous icon in Mount Athos. Its main characteristic is a scar appearing on Virgin Mary’s chin. Apart from the faces of Jesus and Virgin Mary’s, the entire icon in covered by a gold and silver layer. Other treasures of the monastery are the architectural style of the columns in the main church, the wood-carved iconstasis and the silver lamp stand, shaped as a lemon tree. So if our male readers wish to visit and have a free of charge  stay at the monasteries of Mount Athos, make a request at athosreservation@gmail.com. For further information visit their official website agioritikiestia.gr   

Hozoviotissa Monastery in Amorgos

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Photo Credit: Amphithoe via Compfight cc
What a spectacular monastery! Hozoviotissa monastery is built on a cliff’s side on Amorgos, part of the Cyclades islands. The monastery accommodates a few monks and it is also open for visitors everyday. If you visit the island you definitely must climb up the 300 slippery stairs to get there. Make sure though that you are properly dressed. Men should were long trousers and women long skirts. Once you arrive at the top the views of the Aegean Sea will catch your breath.   
Photo Credit: Amphithoe via Compfight cc
Once visitors arrive in the beautiful monastery, monks greet them by serving refreshments, rakomelo and small traditional sweets called loukoumi. The little chapel is  the place to feel the religion vibes. The icons in there are a real treasure. 
Photo Credit: capitan catarro via Compfight cc

 

Before you start your journey up the stairs, make sure you wear comfortable shoes, a hat and have a bottle of fresh water with you.
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