Saint Panteleimon Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece

Historical Details

History:

_p_The monastery of Agios Panteleimon (Saint Panteleimon) is built on the south-west side of the peninsula. The monastery, known also as a Russian one, was built at its current site in 1765, while the original building dates back to the beginning of the eleventh century._p__/p_The construction of the present monastery was carried out during the first two decades of the nineteenth century, with the financial help of the ruler of Moldo-Wallachia, Skarlatos Kallimaches. Russian monks numbered 1,000 in 1895 and 1,446 in 1903. Today (1990), 35 monks live in the monastery._p__/p_It occupies the nineteenth rank in the hierarchical order of the twenty Athonite monasteries. It is coenobitic (communal monastic life). To Saint Panteleimon belongs four dependencies, the skete of Xylourgou or Bogoroditsa, the Chromitsa metochion, the Nea Thebais or Gournoskete and Paleomonastiro._p__/p_The monastery features the architecture of a small town, with buildings of various heights and many domes. Until destroyed by a recent fire (1968) one wing of the monastery was used as the guest quarters, with capacity of 1,000 monks._p__/p_The Katholikon is dedicated to Saint Panteleimon. The construction was begun in 1812 and completed in 1821. It was built in the style of the Athonic katholika. The interior was frescoed in 19th century in Russian style. Into the monastery are many chapels dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin, Saint Mitrophanes, Ascesion, Saint Sergios, Saint Demetrios, the Archangels, Saint Gerasimos, Saints Constantine and Helen, Vladimir and Olga, Saint Alexander Neuskij and the Holy Canopy._p__/p_Opposite of the entrance of the katholikon is the refectory, built in 1890, frescoed 7 years later and planned to host about 800 people. Near the entrance of the refectory stands the phiale for the blessing of the waters._/p_