Xenophontos monastery

General info

Phone: (+30) 23770 23 249

Fax: (+30) 23770 23 631

Call center: (+30) 23770 23 632

Representative Office (Karyes): (+30) 23770 23 933

E-mail: [email protected] || [email protected]

Dedication: Saint George

Date of foundation: 988

Hierarchical position: 16/20

Holy Oversight: Great Lavra, Docheiariou, Xenophontos, Esphigmenou

Cenobitic from: 1784 (sigillion of Patriarch Gabriel IV)

Monks: 35 monastic, 12 living in subordinate monastic establishments

Subordinate establishments: Skete of the Annunciation, 3 cells, 4 kathismas

Celebrations:

✔ 23/4 [6/5] Saint George (main temple celebration, great all-night vigil) [when coincides with Holy Week, the celebration is being moved to the second day of Easter]

✔ First Sunday of October: Theotokos Odigitria (Litany of the Patron Icon of the Monastery)

✔ 3/11 [16/11] Translation of the relics of Saint George (feast, vigil)

✔ 25/3 [7/4] Annunciation (feast of the skete's main temple, great all-night vigil)

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

Relics: holy relics, holy icon of Theotokos Odigitria (She Who Guides), holy icon of Saint George, Saint George spring

Visit: old and new main temples

History and present days

On the borders of Xenophontos Monastery there is a spring with holy water. The miraculous icon of Saint George arrived at this specific spot after travelling upright on the waves. The holy water immediately streamed from the earth to wash the holy relic. The icon now stands in the new katholikon of the monastery. The location of the spring is known as Xyna Nera (Sour Waters) or Xyno (Sour) and is visited by a great number of pilgrims, since the holy water is famous for its healing properties (especially in kidney diseases). The monks that visited this place to venerate the saint and drink some of the holy water were so many, that the community of the Xenophontos Monastery requested a patriarchal sigil that would prohibit the drinking of the water on site. However, there are testimonies that even until World War II one could see Russian monks using the holy water and washing themselves at the spring. Recently a small temple was built next to it. To the right there is a long sandy beach that stretches as far as the old monastery pier. A wall runs the entire length of the base of the courtyard. It holds back the ground and creates a terrace used as a vegetable garden.

While the Docheiariou Monastery is constricted due to the sloping terrain, the building complex of the Xenophontos Monastery is spread in the lowland formed by the torrent Nevrokopos. One would say that these two monasteries represent the two contrasting building models that are often repeated in the whole of Mount Athos.

The lowland location of the Xenophontos Monastery explains the need for a strong fortified wall that would ensure its defense against invaders. The bell tower and the domes of the new church, the largest existing in Mount Athos, project above the fortified wall. The monastery has two katholikos, the new and the old one. Another peculiarity is that its arsanas is not a separate complex, but rests integrated into the walls of the monastery. However, this was not necessarily a rare phenomenon. There can also be found other examples, such as the ruins of the arsanas of Saint Basil in the Hilandar Monastery, dating back to the 14th century, as well as the floor plan of a large arsanas that has recently come to light in the Monastery of Iviron. Apparently, the incorporation of the arsanas to the inside of the walls provided greater security in case of raids and sieges. Moreover, many auxiliary buildings (such as mills and stables) were also built into the fortress complexes of the monasteries during the Middle Ages. They were moved to the surrounding areas only when security conditions allowed it.

The incorporation of the arsanas has led to the transfer of the main entrance to its present location, as well as the creation of an intermediate gate. The new arsanas, whose pier is located to the right of the torrent, is currently in use. The plan of the monastery complex is heptagonal in shape. The sea-facing sides have wooden balconies. The high walls of the other wings keep their fortification character untouched. The original building core consists of the south wing with the old church, which is adjacent to the west wall. The extension of the monastery and the construction of the new katholikon date back to the 19th century, together with the west wing. The north-west corner was built in 1802 and housed the old archontariki. The south wing is parallel to the sea and was rebuilt after the fire of 1817 by the former Metropolitan of Samakovo, Philotheos, who settled in the monastery when he withdrew from his duties. Xenophontos, Athos: the inner courtyard of the monastery

History

In early times, the Xenophontos Monastery was known as the "Monastery of Xenophos". According to one version, the name came from "Xyna Nera" (Sour Waters) and was related to the holy spring. However, according to tradition, the monastery was founded (circa 520) by Saint Xenophon, who is said to have built the temple of Saint Demetrius, close to the south side of the old katholikon. That second version is more accurate, since Saint Xenophon is also mentioned in the Life of Saint Athanasios the Athonite as the person who cured his brother at Mylopotamos. The year of the foundation of the monastery is considered to be 998. A document (1010) with the signature of the Saint is also preserved in the monastery. At that time, the miraculous icon of Saint George, thrown into the sea by the iconoclasts, arrived on the shore of the monastery. Saint Xenophon built the church of Saint George (the old church), cells and other necessary facilities to honor the miraculous relic. During the reign of Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078-81) the monastery was completely deserted. Then came the great leader of the fleet Stephen, who undertook, together with his relatives and with the approval of the emperor, the reconstruction of the monastic structure. He also donated a great number of icons and manuscripts. He became a monk, received the name Simeon and was recognized as a new founder. A document of 1083 is referred to all those events. In the same document are also mentioned several monasteries of the surrounding areas, which were granted and incorporated into the monastery.

In 1285 the monastery was destroyed by a raid of Genoese pirates. In the 14th century it was also invaded by the Catalans but managed to recover. At the end of the 14th century, it occupied the 8th place in the hierarchy of the Athonite monasteries. The financial difficulties caused by the Ottoman occupation were overcome with the help of the rulers of Moldavia (1520). In 1726 the Russian traveler Barsky found the monastery in a poor state, with only 3-4 monks.

After being an idiorrhythmic community for a great period of time, Xenophontos Monastery was the first to revert to the cenobitic system (1784), with the approval of the Ecumenical Patriarch Gabriel IV. The monastery remained cenobitic ever since. Its first abbot became the Kausokalyvite monk Paisios, who renovated and expanded it with the help of the sacristan Constantine and the archimandrite Zacharias. The restoration of the monastery after the catastrophic fire of 1817 begun by Philotheos, whose work was continued by the Abbot Nikephoros from Evia. Monastery yard

Today, a great number of monks live in Xenophontos Monastery. A part of them had also moved to the Pantokratoros Monastery in 1992 in order to fill its community. The magnificent celebration of its millennium (1998) is a historical milestone in the recent history of the Athonite State. When 35 years earlier the anniversary of the millennium of Mount Athos was celebrated (from the foundation of the Monastery of Great Lavra), many people, seeing the abandonment and desolation, considered that the celebration was at the same time the end of the Athonite monasticism. However, shortly afterwards there was noticed a general recovery, which led to the filling of the monasteries with new brotherhoods and their return to the cenobitic system. The celebration of the millennium of the Xenophontos Monastery, in the presence of the Ecumenical Patriarch, the Archbishop of Athens, the President of the Republic, ministers and other great personalities of the state, sealed this recovery and presented an active monastic state, whose appeal to the outside world is at a higher level than ever before.

In the Xenophontos Monastery, the holy young martyr Akakios († 1815, Constantinople) had lived for several years.

Monastery Guide

The courtyard and bell tower of Xenophontos Monastery

The main entrance is located in the initial core of the monastery. It has a portico, with a fresco of Saint George, and a passage leading to the old courtyard. In the middle of the courtyard there is a fountain, in the back of which there is a bell together with a water well. Opposite there is the south-eastern wing. Ιt is three-storeys high with wooden balconies. The original building dates back to the 11th century and was recently restored. On its northern side there is the old church. An arched corridor with a pebbled floor passes in front of the old church and leads to the new courtyard. The frescoes around the opening of the arched corridor, on the north side of the old courtyard, depict the life of Saint Gerasimos of the Jordan and his lion. On the walls opposite the entrance there are scenes from the Apocalypse. Like the old courtyard, the new one is constructed on several levels and is entirely paved. It is shaped like an irregular polygon, with trees, ornamental plants, and a goldfish cistern. It is relatively spacious. In the center of the new courtyard there rises the new katholikon. Next to it there is the font. Its peristyle (1908) is one of the newest in Mount Athos. Its dome is illustrated.

The defensive towers of the monastery (such as the one built by the great Stephen) are not well preserved. Only the five-storey bell tower is still located opposite the new katholikon, to the north-west. The demolition of the towers is not related to the expansion of the monastery. They had already been demolished before 1744.

Both katholikos are dedicated to Saint George. The old katholikon is one of the smallest in Mount Athos. The exonarthex adjoins the eastern side of the trapeza. Its frescoes (1637) were painted with the assistance of the Hungarian John Matthew and his wife Helen, who are depicted next to the entrance. Saint George is depicted on the lintel of the entrance. On the opposite wall there are scenes from the Apocalypse. Many describe them as prophetic, identifying in them contemporary events, such as the mushroom cloud of the atomic explosion. The frescoes of the lity (1564) are a work of the hagiographer Theophanes. To the right of the lity there is the small chapel of Saint Lazarus. On the dome there is depicted the Pantokrator, who, contrary to the usual conventions, is facing to the southwest and not to the east. On the floor of the nave there is an exquisite mosaic artwork. On the lintel of the western wall there is an inscription stating that the church was painted at the expense of the lord Constantine Vornikos and his brother Radul. The frescoes (1544) follow the principles of the Cretan School of iconography and are a work of the painter Antonios. The carved wooden iconostasis, with its rich floral decoration, is an excellent example of 17th century art. The chapel of Saint Demetrius is integrated in the south aisle. It is the oldest building of the monastery (13th century). On its iconostasis (11th century) there is preserved a part of the original Byzantine structure.

Iconostasis and icon of the Virgin Mary Hodegetria

The new katholikon was founded by Philotheos (1817) and was completed 20 years later by the Abbot Nikephoros. It is the largest katholikon of a Greek monastery in Mount Athos, with a capacity of 2,000 people. The exonarthex is not decorated with frescoes. The nave and the lity are particularly bright. The recent frescoes in the chapel are created by Father Luke and other brothers of the monastery. The fathers Alexios and Nikephoros, Metropolitan Philotheos and Abbot Paisios are also depicted. The door leaves, as well as the sculpted marble decoration of the entrances constitute exquisite works of art. The iconostasis (1840) is made of grey Tinian marble. On the eastern columns there are the icons of Saint George (right) and Theotokos Hodegetria. The icon of Saint George (1.27x0.74 m) is the one that miraculously reached the monastery's beach by sea. Its back side is burnt. Apparently, the iconoclasts threw it into the fire, from where it was taken by a pious Christian, who threw it into the sea in order to save it. On the Saint's face, there is a wound caused by an iconoclast's knife, from which blood flowed according to tradition. The icon of Theotokos Hodegetria was initially in the Monastery of Vatopaidi. When it was miraculously found to the Xenophontos Monastery, the monks from Vatopaidi intended to take it back. However, the icon kept on returning to the Xenophontos community, where it was finally placed (1730).

Opposite the katholikon, the harmony of the architectural proportions of the two-storey chapel, that houses the church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary and the church of Saint John the Theologian, is impressive. Both churches are decorated with exquisite frescoes. Within the monastery there are more chapels, including those of Saint Euphemia, the Holy Unmercenaries, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, Saint Stephen, the Holy Apostles, Saint Nektarios and the Holy Trinity.

The cemetery church (Holy Trinity, 1817) is located on the slope in the southwest of the monastery. It is a one-room church with a semi-circular narthex that follows the type of cruciform with a dome. In its interior it follows a discrete simplicity, with some elements of baroque decoration.

The trapeza is on the first floor of the south-west wing. Its floor plan is almost rectangular. It is all decorated with frescoes (1475), which are the earliest frescoes on a trapeza of Mount Athos. They were recently restored in view of the celebration of the millennium of the monastery.

In the new sacristy, which was inaugurated during the celebration of the millennium, a piece of wood from the Holy Cross, vestments and liturgical vessels, an icon of the Transfiguration (13th century) and other important relics are kept. It worths noting the icon of the Holy Baptist (17th century), the depictions of the Annunciation (16th century) and the manuscript of the Slavonic Gospel on a parchment, that was a gift of John Alexander (1574). The mosaic icons of Saint Demetrius (right) and Saint George are the most honored relics of the monastery. They are large in shape (1.20x0.55 m), they date from the 10th-11th centuries and are works of the same artist. The Saints are depicted in full-length, not in their military uniform but in the clothes of a senior court official, which is a pictorial convention of the period. Xenophontos Monastery (monastery walls)

The library is particularly rich. It includes about 10,000 printed books and 400 manuscript codes, including three parchments and three scrolls. An important relic of the monastery, a manuscript Gospel donated by Alexios I Komnenos (1083) to the Abbot Simeon, was taken away for a small fee by Robert Curzon in 1837.

The structures of Xenophontos Monastery include the Skete of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, the cells of Saint Tryphon and Saint Nektarios, as well as the cell of Saint Andrew, which is used as a representative office in Karyes. There are 4 more structures, 3 of which are located in the wider area of the monastery. Of great historical importance are the kathisma of Saint Antony and the one of Saint Nicholas Chrysokamaris.

The monastery's metochia are located in Chalkidiki (Kassandra, Sithonia) and Skopelos. An important metochi is the recently founded female monastery of Saint John the Forerunner in Akritochori of Serres, above the lake Kerkini.

From Xenophontos Monastery, there starts a road that follows the coastline and reaches the Monastery of Saint Panteleimon. It passes over the ruined kathisma of Saint Nicholas Chrysokamaris, which can also be spotted from the sea and that used to be a monastery during the 11th century. The road is separated into two. The left side ascends the right shore of the stream Bourantas, reaches the Skete of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, continues passing by the xenophonite meadow with the forest house and joins the Karyes-Vatopaidi car road. The right side continues along the coast. A sign "Towards the Mountain" leads to the cell of Saint Tryphon, where resides an active group of monks until today.

The coastal route reaches the last xenophonite cell of Saint Nektarios, on the right side of the Bourantas estuary.

Holy Icons

Saint George the Trophy-Bearer

Theotokos Pyrovolithisa (The one that has been shot)

Theotokos Kecharitomeni (Full of Grace)

Theotokos Pantanassa (The Queen of All)

Theotokos Hodegetria (One Who Shows the Way)

Holy relics

Xenophontos Monastery, icons

In addition to the hereditary Cross, which has a piece of wood of the Holy Cross, the Xenophontos Monatery preserves, the relics of the Holy Apostles Andrew (Protoklitos), Barnabas and Philip, the Saints Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom, John the Merciful, Modestus, Tryphon, James the Persian, Ignatius of Antioch, Gregory Palamas, Charalambus, Photius, Patriarch of Constantinople, the Great Martyrs George, Demetrius, Mercurius, Minas of Egypt, Marina and Paraskevi, the Holy New Martyrs Demetrius of the Peloponnese, Theodore of Byzantium and the Iberian Holy Martyrs Euthymius, Akaki and Ignatius.