Posts in category: Το νόημα του ονοματος – Αφηγήσεις Αγ. Παυλος Κεφ.1

In the 18th century, there was a significant change in the history of the Monastery, which was also observed by Barsky on his second visit. The population of monks of mainly Slavic origin (Serbian or Bulgarian) gradually turned into Greek, thus changing one of the main characteristics of the Monastery. The reason for the change is not known. It is probable that the war of 1684-1688 between the Austro-Hungarian and the Ottoman empires cut off the Ottoman-dominated Mt Athos from the areas of Macedonia and Serbia, where the holy pilgrims originated. Moreover, the dominance of the Greek-speaking Phanariotes in the Danubian hegemony helped to increase the number of Greek-speaking monks. But why had the fraternity mainly been Slavic-speaking until then?

For the greatest part of its history, the Monastery was much smaller. It gradually developed, restrained by a row of three successive tall rocks that stood on the side of the mountain, almost independent of each other. The 1744 drawing of the Russian monk-traveler Vasily Barskyshows this arrangement. This early-phase structure can also be seen today from the outside of the north wing, opposite to the deep and steep ravine. Barsky even writes in his diary that the architectural arrangement of the St Pavlos Monastery does not resemble any other monastery on Mt Athos. On the third rock, towards the east, stands the great tower of the monastery, while a fourth rock of similar size lies a little further east, outside the precinct.

The cathedral is dedicated to The Presentation of Christ at the Temple. Its marble icon screen was made in 1899-1900 by the sculptor Ioannis Lyritis from the island of Tinos. The cathedral also includes two chapels dedicated to the two saints whose images flank the entrance gate: St Pavlos of Xeropotamos, the founder, and St Georgios. But what was the Monastery like before the great expansion of the 19th century?

Behind the gate, a spacious arcade with green plants leads to a shady courtyard that surrounds the church. The height of the buildings make one constantly look upwards. The cathedral is literally built within the embrace of the rock, with only a narrow passage behind the sanctuary to accommodate the rounded shape of the apse. This area and the structures in it were part of the large-scale extensions of the 19th century.
In 1816, the construction of the wall and large western wing were begun under the supervision of the Archimandrite Anthimos Komnenos of the Monastery, who also became an Abbot. The wing included a new refectory and chapels; the upper floors were made of timber. In 1819-20, the bell tower was built. However, the work was interrupted for a few years, one of the severe consequences of the failed 1821 Greek Revolution for Independence in Halkidiki. Anthimos himself had to flee from the Ottomans since he was presumed to be member of the Greek Company of Friends, a secret group which planned and supported the Revolution. The renovations were later restarted, and continued until the middle of the 19th century, when the impressive cathedral with its eleven domes was completed, at the expense of the Abbot Sophronius Kalligas. As early as 1830, new monks began to come from the island of Kefalonia, a trend which continued until the middle of the 20th century, when they constituted the majority of the fraternity.

Μετά από είκοσι λεπτά περπάτημα από τον αρσανά, μιάμιση ώρα αν κανείς ξεκίνησε από την γειτονική Ιερά Μονή Διονυσίου, αντικρύζει επιβλητικά ψηλοτάβανα κτίρια του 19ου αιώνα, πετρόκτιστα, με μεγάλα συμμετρικά παράθυρα. Λιτή μεγαλοπρέπεια, ήσυχη. Δεξιά κι αριστερά στην πύλη στέκουν δύο αγένιοι: ο άγιος Παύλος ο Ξηροποταμινός και ο άγιος Γεώργιος. Επάνω, η Υπαπαντή του Χριστού, στην οποία είναι αφιερωμένος ο ναός. Εικόνες του 19ου αιώνα σε ύφος ρωσικό, στον απόηχο του ρομαντισμού. Ευρωπαϊκή αισθητική, νεότερη. Είναι σαφές πως το βυζαντινό μοναστήρι είχε διαφορετική όψη, πως το μοναστικό συγκρότημα γνώρισε σημαντική επέκταση κατά τον 19ο αιώνα. Μάλιστα, ό,τι βλέπουμε γύρω από την είσοδο είναι η τελευταία προσθήκη που έγινε κατά τα πρώτα χρόνια του 20ου αιώνα, αφού μια πυρκαγιά κατέστρεψε το 1902 τη δυτική και τη νότια πτέρυγα. Ο Πλούταρχος Θεοχαρίδης επισημαίνει ότι τα κτίρια αυτά σχεδιάστηκαν και υλοποιήθηκαν με μία ακαδημαική αρχιτεκτονική προσέγγιση, επηρρεασμένα από τα εκλεκτικιστικά ρεύματα της εποχής, όπως συνέβαινε τότε σε όλες τις μονές του Αγίου Όρους.

On a rocky slope at the southwest of the Mount Athos peninsula, the Holy Monastery of Agiou Pavlou stands between a steep stream and a torrent that carries large rocks down to the coast. For some time, the torrent definitely played a large role in why the monastery was originally known as Xeropotamos before that name was permanently assigned to the other of the two monasteries that St Pavlos founded in the area. Some aspects of the early history of the Monastery are obscure due to a lack of information, but others will be illuminated through the material provided in this 'visit'.