The Vatopedi Monastery of Mount Athos

The Holy Monastery of Vatopedi is the second most important among the 20 monasteries of Mount Athos. The monastery was founded in the second half of the 10th century by three monks: Athanasius, Nicholas, and Antonios, who came from Adrianople and were students of Saint Athanasius, the founder of monasticism on Mount Athos. The Vatopedi Monastery is a large monumental complex surrounded by a strong, large wall and buildings arranged in a triangular shape. Inside the larger courtyard, there is the main church, dedicated to the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, a Cross-shaped refectory, and dozens of chapels, with the most significant being the chapel of the Precious Belt of the Virgin Mary. Within the central church, there are unique mosaics, the only ones on Mount Athos, and the painted frescoes, which date back to 1312, are among the most important monumental works of the Palaeologan Renaissance. In addition to the unique frescoes and mosaics, the monastery also possesses a large number of portable icons, manuscripts, and sacred vessels of great spiritual value. Pictured: A hand-colored postcard depicting the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi on Mount Athos. ©Historical Archive of Macedonia.