Contents
- 0.1 Sunny Greece is not only a country of resorts and historical attractions, is also a major center of the eastern Orthodoxy. In the Greek temples and monasteries stored many unique shrines that Christians are eager to see from all over of the world.
- 0.2 Святая Гора Афон
- 1 Patmos Island
- 2 Meteora Monasteries
Sunny Greece is not only a country of resorts and historical attractions, is also a major center of the eastern Orthodoxy. In the Greek temples and monasteries stored many unique shrines that Christians are eager to see from all over of the world.
29.11.2013
Святая Гора Афон
Cape Athos is one of the extremities of the peninsula. Chalkidiki in the north-east of Greece. For nearly a thousand years here is the world’s largest male Orthodox monastery, which is actually a self-governing state under the jurisdiction Patriarch of Constantinople. Women on the territory of Mount Athos, or as it is also called, the Holy Mountain is not allowed, but for men, to visit this place, you need a special blessing. On Holy Mountain there are 20 monasteries that hold priceless Christian relics: miraculous icons, precious crosses, ancient holy books, great martyr relics and much more. But The most important shrines of Athos are considered: parts of the life-giving of the Holy Cross (in the monastery of Xiropotam, in the Holy Monastery Athanasius, Vatopedi Monastery and several others) and honest belt Blessed Virgin (Vatoped monastery).
One of the monasteries – St. Panteleimon, is considered “Russian”. It contains the power of St.. Panteleimon, John the Baptist, Andrew First-Called, Apostle Luke and other saints. In his bell tower installed the world’s second largest bell, which weighs about 13 tons. To take pictures on Mount Athos, you need to get a special resolution, and video recording is prohibited. Entrance to the monasteries allowed only in modest clothes, you can not swim here and sunbathe.
Patmos Island
Patmos Island, which the Romans chose in as a place of reference for guilty citizens – now thriving resort and center of christian pilgrimage. It was on Patmos that banished in 95 John the Evangelist. In a short time he drew most of the inhabitants of the island in the Christian faith, here he wrote the book “Apocalypse” (“Revelation”), which became the final part of the New Testament. According to legend, John heard the voice of God in one of the caves, then with the help of a disciple Prokhor wrote down his visions about the end of the world and the Day of Judgment. In our time near the cave towering monastery of St. John the Divine (founded by Christodoulus of Patmos in 1088). Unique library The monastery keeps books, documents and manuscripts, the earliest of which are dated V century. Monastery and cave are on the list UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Monastery of St. John the Divine, photo: miroland.com
Meteora Monasteries
The monastery complex Meteora is one of most amazing places not only in Greece, but in the whole world. Meteors are often called one of the “wonders of the world.” 24 cliffs, which height sometimes reaches 400 m, are in the north of Greece, in historical region of Thessaly. The first monasteries appeared on this territory in the X century., but, according to legend, the hermits settled on cliff tops much earlier. Now in Meteora there are 6 monasteries – 2 female and 4 male. Most pilgrims impressive monastery of the Holy Trinity: it is on top stone rock in the form of a huge pillar, above the gorge, where it flows The river Pinos, and the background are the majestic Pindus Mountains. Monasteries open for visits at certain hours, you can climb to them steps cut in the rock, or on suspension bridges (before the monks got to the monastery with the help of ropes, to which tied special baskets).
photo: Mouzenidis Travel
