According to tradition, the Invisible Monks live near the summit of Mount Athos. When one of them passes away, another immediately takes his place, so that their number remains unchanged.
It is believed that they can appear at any moment and in any place throughout the Athonite peninsula. As people say, they have overcome all physical and earthly needs, transcending the limitations of mortality. They are said to live solely through prayer and to be completely devoted to glorifying the Triune God.
Many pilgrims of Mount Athos, as well as numerous monks, have reported that during their walks across the peninsula or even during prayer, they sensed the constant presence of someone beside them.
Sergei Igorevich Gamarnik, a pilgrim from the city of Kineshma in the Ivanovo region, received the blessing of his spiritual elder before sharing his personal account and his experience of encountering a holy elder of Mount Athos.
“After receiving the permission of my spiritual father, I am ready to speak about my encounter with an Invisible Monk. The miracle took place in mid-October 2012, during my second journey to Mount Athos.
My wife is deeply religious and she asked me to find monks who could paint a small icon of the Savior. She purchased a small piece of wood and gave it to me to take it with me. After visiting several monasteries and speaking with monks, I was advised to go to the Holy Cell of Saint Nicholas Bourazeri. They explained that it was located near Karyes, along the road leading to the Monastery of Iviron, which I also wished to visit.
We arrived there by a small bus. After settling into our room, I decided to go out and find the cell. I walked along the road until I saw a sign pointing toward Karyes through the forest. I turned onto that path and, after walking approximately six hundred meters, I reached a small river. It was surrounded by dense woodland, so that I could not find any clear exit or path through the vegetation. Unable to determine where the road continued, I turned back and decided to follow the main road instead.
I kept walking until I encountered another sign toward Karyes. I turned into the forest once again and followed a stone wall. I began climbing over rocks and uneven ground. After some time, I saw a path crossing my route. I had reached a crossroads.
On the left side, I saw a monk dressed in black robes and with a long beard, walking with two walking sticks. I believe he appeared to be around fifty or sixty years old, although it was difficult to determine his exact age. He did not even turn toward me. I stepped onto the same path, hurried to catch up with him and greeted him.
I did not know many words in Greek, so I took out the piece of wood my wife had given me and tried to explain through gestures that I was looking for the monks of the cell so they could paint an icon for me.
The monk pointed toward a path branching off to the left. He showed me the direction I should follow. I took three steps toward that point to get a better view. Then I stopped and turned around to thank him, but the elder had disappeared.
I ran back to look for him. I wondered how he could have moved away so quickly. I was completely astonished.
Eventually, I followed the path he had indicated and, after walking some distance, I arrived at the entrance of the cell I had been searching for. There, I found a monk who spoke Russian and I was able to obtain the icon of the Savior that I had long desired.
Thus, I came to know the Invisible Monk.”
Sergei was not the only person to have received the blessing of encountering an Invisible Monk. Many pilgrims have experienced extraordinary events and moments of grace that they still find impossible to explain.
If you have also experienced meaningful encounters or inspiring stories after visiting Mount Athos, we would be delighted to hear from you, publish your account and share the wonder of the Athonite spiritual tradition.
