Skete of St. Panteleimon

History and present days

The skete of St. Panteleimon is located on the northern slope of the Iviron ditch (Ιβηρίτικος Λάκκος). From here, there is a magnificent view of the capital of Mount Athos, the city of Karyes, as well as the sea. The large number of cells in this area could complicate the definition of the boundaries of this skete; however, the task is simplified by the twin cypress trees rising in front of the cathedral. According to tradition, they age 770 and 220 years old respectively.

Hermitage Guide

There are two ways to reach the skete of St. Panteleimon: the first is to descend along the road from the Koutloumousiou monastery, keeping the pathway that leads towards the Iviron monastery on your right; the second is to turn right from the Karyes-Iviron road. The boundary of the skete area is marked by a special proskinitarion of St. Panteleimon (a lectern, a special stand for placing books or icons). It is to this mark that the "Axion Estin" icon is always carried during religious processions, to then be returned to the Protaton.

The skete was originally the cell of St. Panteleimon, which was located at the site of today's cathedral, with ascetic kalyves surrounding it. In 1780, hieromonk Charalambos asked the monastery for a cell to form a skete. He bought the cell for 110 groschens; a not-so-large sum, considering the fact that the cell of St. Anthony/St. Andrew (Serai), built by the former Patriarch Seraphim II, was valued and bought in 1771 for 10,500 groschens. In a short time, the skete was already inhabited by 30-40 monks.

The main temple was founded in 1782 and consecrated in 1790. The majority of the expenses were covered by Christians from Turkey. Due to the lack of a clear charter, there were disagreements and misunderstandings between the skete and the monastery; the patriarch Neofit officially recognized the status of the skete in 1799 through a special decree.

In 1808, the venerable Gerasim the New lived here as a monk for 4 years. Part of his relics was transferred to the skete in 1903, after he passed away in Constantinople in 1812.

The main temple of the skete, built in 1790, is dedicated to Saint Panteleimon, who performed many miracles of healing. Thanks to one miracle that followed the all-night prayer, a spring gushed from a recently dug well. The water had a milky color—the color of milk that began to flow when the saint's head was severed.

One of the silver lamps bears an inscription stating that it was donated by the elder Matfei from the Nativity of the Virgin Mary cell of the Dionysiou monastery in 1921. The elder was afflicted with a severe illness because he did not reward the monk from the cell of All Saints who found 4 Turkish silver coins.

Above the south entrance of the main temple, there is a relief image of Saint Panteleimon. The saint is also depicted above the entrance of the western exterior side (work of 1852 by monk Sophronius). The temple itself is quite dark but richly adorned with frescoes. The dome of the temple and the area to the right of the altar were painted with frescoes in 1868.

Icons and iconostasis of the skete date back to 1791. The large miraculous icon of Saint Panteleimon from the 18th century is adorned with a silver setting. There is also an icon of the Virgin Mary kept here, dating back to the 13th or 14th century, adorned with a silver setting and kept in the altar. Another notable icon is the Apostles Peter and Paul from the 11th or 12th century, painted in Old Slavonic style. The complex of the main temple also included a refectory and a guesthouse. In the southwest part of the temple, there is a bell tower, a separate building constructed in 1792. The bell was purchased in 1883 with the help of donations from the monks of the skete. The library, built in 1848, includes 40 manuscripts.

Southeast of the main temple is the cemetery church of the skete dedicated to the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, built in 1799.

Behind the cemetery church, the kalyve of the Presentation of Mary is located. A little higher is the kalyve where the venerable martyr Gerasim the New lived as a monk.