I realized this morning that I had forgotten to post the last set of photos from Mt Athos which a friend very kindly shared with me. The first four parts were published in late September and October, from the monasteries of Simonos Petra, Koutloumousiou, the church of the Dormition in Karyes, the administrative center of the Monastic Republic, and the Skete of St Andrew. This final set was taken at Iviron Monastery, the third in the Athonite hierarchy, which was founded in the 980s by monks from Georgia. (The name derives from “Iberia”, the Greek word for the Caucasus.) Iviron was very influential in the development of Georgian language and liturgy, but the community waned over the centuries, and the last Georgian monk died in 1955. The photos below include views of the original, very beautiful cosmatesque floor and marble panels on the walls, very little of which survives on Athos, and some pictures of liturgical items in the museum.
These first two photos were taken on the feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (which falls on September 21 on the Gregorian Calendar), during the All-night Vigil, the concatenation of Great Vespers, Orthros (Matins and Lauds) and the First Hour. The term “
all-night vigil” is something of a rhetorical exaggeration, but on Athos, not by much; the service began at 8 p.m., and ended at 2 a.m.
This plate with three candles attached at the back is used for the ceremony called the Litia. There are five loaves of bread on the plate, and in the three cups below them, wine, oil, and some grains of wheat. These are blessed towards the end of Vespers; during Orthros, the bread is distributed to the clergy and faithful, tinged with the wine, and a cross of the oil is painted on each person’s forehead, a symbol that the feast has now formally begun.
A view of the main church, called the “Katholikon” in Greek, from the central plaza.
Byzantine-era fortifications.
Another view of the Katholikon.
Fresco work in the narthex
Inside the Katholikon
The cosmatesque floor, made in 1005, when Iviron was still a very new foundation.
A view from the roof.
The monastery has about a dozen other chapels.
The imperial bull of foundation, signed by the Emperor Basil II (976-1025).
An embroidered epitrachelion (the Byzantine priestly stole) made in the 17th century, with lettering in Georgian.
Two embroidered epimanikia, the cuffs which Byzantine priests wear at their wrists, with depictions of the monastery.
A robe made for John Tsimiskis, the emperor of Byzantium 969-76.
A Gospel book with a silver cover.
Carved wooden hand-crosses used for various rites of blessing.
More cuffs, and a large epigonation, a lozenge-shaped ceremonial garment of bishops, also conceded to some priests; it is worn with a strap over the left shoulder, and hangs down at knee-level.
A Gospel book, tabernacle, chalice and diskos (paten).
A bishop’s crown.
