Esphigmenou Monastery

General info

Phone: (+30) 23770 23 796

Call center: (+30) 23770 23 938

Representative Office (Karyes): (+30) 23770 23 282

Residence (Thessaloniki): (+30) 2310 271 785

E-mail: [email protected]

Dedication: Ascension of Jesus Christ

Date of foundation: 4th century (tradition), 10th-11th century (evidence)

Hierarchical position: 18/20

Holy Oversight: Great Lavra, Docheiariou, Xenophontos, Esphigmenou

Cenobitic from: 1797 (sigillion of Patriarch Gregory VI)

Monks: 65 monastic

Subordinate establishments: 7 kathismas

Celebrations:

✔ Thursday of the sixth week after Easter: of the Ascension of Jesus Christ (main temple celebration, great all-night vigil)

✔ 23/2 [8/3] Saint Damian

✔ 19/4 [2/5] Saint Agathangelus

✔ Bright Week Tuesday (Litany of the Patron Icon of the Monastery)

Relics: holy relics, Saint Gregory Palamas spring

Visit: main temple, dining hall

History and present days

The Monastery of Esphigmenou is built on the northeast coast. Its foundations are literally washed by the waves. Its building complex occupies the entire narrow lowland area formed between three hills: the one of the Life-giving Spring(east), the one of Gribovitsa (south) and the one of Samaria (west). The floor plan has a quadrilateral shape. The wings are four-storey high. The sea-facing façade lacks balconies and cloisters for security reasons. The narrow windows resemble battlements, which gives an unexpected austerity and introspection to the monastic complex.

The fortified view of the monastery is emphasized by the defensive towers built into the north wing. The horizontal dimension of the monastery is interrupted by them, as well as by the bell tower (south wing). The roofs of all the wings are covered with tiles. Many chapel domes project onto the roofs. The monastery has a great number of towers that are projected above the fortified courtyard. Some of the older ones have no roof at all. The newer towers date from the mid-19th century, when the monastery was extended to the east. The seaside tower is remarkable for its size and bears a double row of catacombs.

History

According to tradition, the monastery dates back to the 5th century, while the emperor Theodosios II and his sister Pulcheria are considered to be its founders. The original monastery is claimed to have been located half a kilometre west of the present monastery but was destroyed by a precipitation of rocks. The earliest historical evidence of the monastery dates back to the end of the 10th - beginning of the 11th century. References are found in a letter of Saint Paul of Xeropotamou (1016), in the testament of the monk Demetrios of the small monastery of Chalkeos (1030) and in the Typikon of Constantine Monomachos (1046), where the monastery appears to occupy the fifth place in the hierarchy of the Athonite monasteries of that time. There is also a document in the Monastery of Vatopaidi (998) which testifies the existence of the monastery by the name “Esphagmenou” (means the one who is slaughtered). This is perhaps the most likely origin of the name of the monastery, which other scholars attribute to the narrow space between the hills (therefore “Esphigmenou”, which means the one who is constricted) or to a monk who was held tight by his monastic belt. Esphigmen, Athos: Monastery yard and palm tree

The monastery flourished in the period from the second half of the 13th to the first half of the 16th century. The Emperor John V Palaiologos, the Serbian Kralj Stefan Dusan and the Serbian ruler Brankovic contributed to the prosperity with important donations and sponsorships. At that time, there used to live there the later Ecumenical Patriarch Athanasios, who took on the difficult task of putting everything in the orthodox Church into order after the Latin Patriarch Vekko, and Saint Gregory Palamas, who was a great figure of the Hesychasm and Archbishop of Thessaloniki. Because of its location, the monastery was repeatedly plundered by pirates. It was also damaged by fires during the 14th century and burned by the Ottomans in 1533. These disasters led to its desolation. The neighbouring monasteries of Hilandar and Zografou encroached on its property, leading to long-running legal actions and disagreements regarding its territory. In the mid-17th century the monastery managed to be reconstructed and rebuilt thanks to the donations from Russia and the Danubian principalities.

In 1746 the Esphigmenou Monastery sold to the Monastery of Zografou the arsanas of Jovanitsa, which had been under its possession since 1528. During the 18th century the monastery was helped by generous donations of the Metropolitan Gregory of Melenikos, who after his leaving from the throne became a monk there, such as the monk Gerasimos and the Metropolitan Daniel of Thessaloniki, who restored the monastery to the cenobitic system. Its conversion was recognized by a sigil of the Patriarch Gregory V (1797), who also contributed to its reconstruction. The contribution of a series of abbots (Akakios, Efthimios, Theodoritos, Agathaggelos), to whom all the present building facilities are attributed, was of great importance. Agathangelos' successor was Luke. During his time, a school of hagiography was established in the monastery. In 1821 Emmanuel Pappas declared the Revolution and the monastic community suffered a great destruction by the Ottoman occupation forces.

For nearly thirty years, the monastery has been in the center of current affairs. The banners with the slogan "Orthodoxy or Death", prominently displayed, mark the opposition of a group of monks to the 1964 meeting in Istanbul between the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I and Pope Paul VI of Rome, which led to a mutual lifting of the anathemas between the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church. Since then, a group of monks has refused to mention the name of the Ecumenical Patriarch in the Divine liturgy and all services, abstains from the administrative institutions of the Athonite state and does not recognize the validity of their decisions. Esphigmen, monastery: domes In this stance, they have taken by their site the Old Testament Christians (who like to be called as "Genuine Orthodox Christians"), as well as the anti-patriarchal circles in the United States. In early 2003, the Ecumenical Patriarchate declared that this group of the monks of the Esphigmenou Monastery are "irredeemably schismatic" and it took off all relevant procedures provided by the constitutional charter of Mount Athos and the Constitution of Greece for their removal. The Patriarchate, as well as the Holy Community stated that they did not wish to use any force of violence. The monks of the Ephigmenou Monastery appealed to the Council of State. In the words of the Athonite monks, the case "will take time".

In the Esphigmenou Monastery, apart from Patriarch Athanasios and the Archbishop of Thessaloniki Gregory Palamas (who served as its abbot for three years), great personalities such as Akakios, Anthimos, Agathaggelos, Luke and Sophronios also used to live there. Among others, Saint Anthony Pechersky became a monk in the Monastery of Esphigmenou. In a cave, on the hill of Samaria, Saint Damian the Esphigmenite practised his monastic rules and exercised in prayer. The new martyrs Euthymios from the skete of Iviron († 1814, Constantinople), Agathaggelos († 1819, Smyrna), who was responsible for the trapeza of the monastery, Timotheos († 1820, Adrianople), as well as the great preacher Germanos, they all lived and died in the Monastery of Esphigmennou. Gerasimos Smyrnakis served as abbot and also died there.

Gerasimos Smyrnakis (Nafplio 1862 - Patmos 1935)

Gerasimos Smyrnakis was a cavalry officer, who abandoned his military career and became a monk before 1888. He was ordained an hieromonk and served as abbot of the Monastery of Esphigmenou (1906-1908). His voluminous work Mount Athos (1903) completes a series of works that go beyond pilgrimage guides to individual monasteries and seek a comprehensive view of the Athonite monasticism. The work is accompanied by a map compiled by him and constitutes a landmark, an endless source of information and knowledge about the Athonite tradition, as well as a detailed record of the pan-Slavist ambitions and intrigues that had grown at this time in Athos.

Monastery Guide

Esphigmen, Monastery in Mount Athos

The main entrance of the monastery is located in the south wing. It has a front, located under the tower (1854), which on its third floor houses the bells. The frescoes in this front side (1861) depict the Ascension of the Lord, prophets and figures from the Old Testament. The figures are massive and stiff. Their military character is emphasized. Samson fighting the lions brings to mind popular images of wrestlers. On the right side an unusual fresco depicts the monk of the gate giving alms to a pair of laymen. The depiction of the couple with the unexpected female presence is perhaps the most Westernized example of secular and modern painting in Mount Athos. On the outer side of the front, an inscription on rusty sheet metal that remained from old times, informs the visitor that “Entry is forbidden to long-haired people (commonly known as hippies) and to all those indecently dressed”. The passageway leads to the courtyard. On the lintel of the gate the Virgin Mary is depicted as the Mother of Heaven. The courtyard is spacious, paved with stones, decorated with vines and fruit trees in flowerbeds. The inner faces of the wings with their successive arches and balconies have none of the fortified appearance of the outer faces. Large-scale renovation was carried out in 1854-58. The fortified courtyard was extended to the east of the seafront tower and new wings were added to it. It is reached from the old entrance of the north wing, which leads directly to the arsanas. Right opposite the gate there is the south-west corner of the katholikon. The baptistery was erected in 1815 by the Abbot Efthymios to replace an earlier structure from the time of John V Palaiologos (1341-91). It has eight columns, recently restored, and baroque decorated vaults. To the right of the baptistery there is the statue of Saint Gregory Palamas.

The katholikon is dedicated to the Ascension of the Lord. It was founded in 1808 by the Abbot Theodoritos and inaugurated by Patriarch Gregory V (1811). It was built on the site of an older church which had a double narthex and a peristyle. The present katholikon follows the Athonite type. It is spacious and bright. It has eight domes. The exonarthex and the two built-in chapels were added in 1845 by the Patriarch Anthimos VI, who had been a monk in the Esphigmenou Monastery. The frescoes in the exonarthex depict scenes from the Apocalypse. On the north side there is the chapel of the Holy Archangels, while on the south side there is the chapel of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary. On the south wall there is a rare fresco depicting the Credo of the orthodox faith.

The lity and the nave of the church are not separated by a wall but only by columns. At the gate formed by the columns hangs a curtain. The windows are made of plaster and glass. The frescoes were created in 1841 by the monks Joasaph, Nikephoros, Gerasimos and Anthimos. To the left and right of the entrance of the lity (on the western wall) there are depicted the fathers Metropolitan Ignatius of Cassandria and Metropolitan Gregory of Melenikos (the later monk Gerasimos). On the west wall of the lity, above the entrance, there is a balcony with baroque painted decoration. There is located the sacristy and, as access in it is by a narrow spiral staircase, there is a winch with a sail for bringing up different objects. On the north column of the lity, a mark of the inauguration of the church by the Patriarch Gregory V can still be noticed. On the columns there are metal banners and flags (similar to those in the crypt of the Skete of Prophet Elijah).

The main temple is full of decorations. The frescoes (1811) are work of the hagiographers Veniamin, Zacharias and their uncle Hieromonk Makarios of Galatsiana. They are the same painters who decorated the exonarthex of the katholikon of the Monastery of Hilandar. The marbles are taken from Tinos. A fresco on the south wall depicts the pious holy emperors, the brothers and patrons of this holy monastery, Theodosios and Pulcheria. The main icon of the church is the icon of the Virgin Mary "Rodon Amarandon" (which means a rose that cannot be withered). Esphigmen monastery

The iconostasis is particularly impressive. It is high, with carved wood and a curve that creates an impression of waving. It has representations from the Old Testament in a strip below the central icons. To the left of the Royal door there are depicted the first sons of Esau, the protoplasts, their disobedience and their expulsion from Paradise, as well as the dormition of Saint Gregory Palamas. To the right of the Royal door, under the icon of Jesus Christ, there is the sacrifice of Abraham, which theologically refers to the crucifixion of the Lord [Isaac=the divine nature, goat=the fleshly nature]. Below the icon of Saint John the Baptist, Elizabeth and the newborn John the Forerunner are depicted hiding in a stone to avoid Herod's infanticide. There is also a depiction of a festive diner where, according to the monks, the master woodcarvers of the iconostasis are also represented (1813). In the iconostasis of the katholikon of the Gregoriou Monastery we find a corresponding representation of the Symposium of Herod. Below the icon of Saint Nicholas there is the representation of the miracle of the saint, who saved a ship from a storm. The so-called Cross of Pulcheria is kept in the Chancel, as well as a particularly important Byzantine icon in mosaic (15x7 cm), which depicts the full-faced Christ, blessing the faithful and holding a Gospel in his left hand. The silver frame of the icon depicts the Holy Apostles, while at the bottom of it there is a small case with the relics of the saints.

Apart from the two chapels built into the katholikon, there are also chapels inside the monastery. There are the Holy Unmercenaries, Saint Anthimos (where the funeral of all departed monks is held), Saint George (in the southeast corner), Saints Constantine and Helen (in the bell tower), Saint Gregory Palamas, Saint Nilus the Wise, Saint Nilus the Myrrh-streamer and Saint John the Merciful.

The trapeza is an independent building opposite the facade of the church. It is all decorated with frescoes that date back to 1810, when the building was restored by the abbot Efthymios. They aren’t in great condition due to the damage and deterioration caused by the Ottoman troops (1821-30) who had settled there. On the south there is a small pulpit, which can be accessed from the outside (as in the trapeza of the Monastery of Iviron and the Skete of Bogoroditsa). Next to the trapeza there is a fountain with a remarkable relief surface.

... Beware of the rules that are always followed in a cenobitic trapeza. A monk rings the semantron. Everybody wears clothes that are adequate for Divine liturgy. The abbot enters the trapeza, followed by other monks. The semantron rings again, everyone takes their place in front of the table. Prayers are heard, we make the sign of the cross and we sit down. Food is served. We eat lentil soup, olives, spring onions, garlic, bread and we drink wine. The reader in the pulpit reads without stopping. Today's text refers to the life of Saint Pachomius. We all listen attentively to the saint's ascetic deeds. No one speaks. Our eyes wander over the frescoes and return to the black ascetic olives and the dark bread that is served. Suddenly a bell sounds and the reader stops. He goes and repents before the abbot, who is now standing upright. The monk who is responsible of the trapeza (trapezaris) picks up the leftovers with a serious, solemn look. He brings a piece of bread to the abbot, who blesses it. The pieces of bread that are gathered will be sent to the ascetics that live in "desert", that is, the southern end of the peninsula. After the blessing, the abbot leaves. Before he reaches the door, the trapezaris and the cook fall to their knees and worship. A symbolic act of apology and repentance. The purpose is to crush their ego. The abbot sees it with an unblinking eye, without conceit or sorrow. George Arnakis, Trapeza of Esphigmenou Monastery, 1963. Mount Athos, Esphigmen Monastery: frescoes of the monastery

The cemetery church (Dormition of the Virgin Mary) is located to the west of the monastery, near the stream. It consists of a single space. It is a four-sided building with a relatively high dome. It dates before the mid-18th century and was recently renovated.

The sacristy and the library are located above the nave. Gold-plated vestments, crosses, gospels, sacred vessels, part of Napoleon's tent and the flag of the Revolution, which was raised in 1821 by Emmanuel Pappas and Abbot Efthymios, are kept there. In the library there are about 400 manuscript codes (75 parchments) and a few scrolls. Particularly noteworthy is a Menologium (11th century) with 80 small and 8 large illustrations with depictions of the Nativity. There is also a Gospel (11th century) with depictions of the four Evangelists and a golden bull of Maro (1428) with depictions of the family of the Serbian ruler Brankovic.

The old arsanas was built within the limits of the fortified courtyard. Today it is used as a carpenter's workshop. The new arsanas is located on the west of the monastery, at the foot of the hill of Samaria. The pier and breakwater were recently constructed with a donation from Prodromos Emphietzoglou. Due to its proximity to the sea, the monastery is actively occupied with fishing. At the end of the 19th century, it owned a 35-ton sailboat built with timber from Mount Athos. Until 1910, in addition to the ship, the monastery had two barges to collect the income from the metochia. Today the monastery has still fishing boats and speedboats, while it is the only monastery in Mount Athos that retains the profession of fisherman.

The structures of the Esphigmenou Monastery include 7 locations. On the hill to the east of the monastery there is the church of the Life-giving Spring. At the eastern end of the bay, on the cape, there is the church of Saints Theodoroi. On the hillside above the arsanas there is the church of Saint Anthony of Kiev.

The monastery's metochia are located in Sithonia, Thassos, Kassandra and Volvi.

Holy relics

Fresco of Esphigmenou monastery

In the monastery there are kept part of the sponge of the Crucifixion, part of the holy garment of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the blood of Saint John the Forerunner, as well as sacred relics. Among others, there can be found the relics of Saint Mary Magdalene (left foot), Saint Anthony of Veria, Saint Gregory Palamas, Saint Anastasios of Persia, Saint James, brother of Jesus, and Saint Parthenius, Bishop of Lampsacus, who is the patron saint of cancer patients. The relics of the new martyr Agathangelos Esphigmenitis are also kept in the monastery. However, there is no piece of the bloodstained vestments of Saint Timothy Esphigmenitis, as it is mentioned in the Synaxis.