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Vatoped Monastery

The Greek monastery of Vatopedi is situated by the small bay in the northwest of Mt. Athos, where the ancient city of Thisos stood.  This is one of the oldest, richest and largest monasteries of Mt. Athos.  According to legend, its founder was Constantine the Great in the early 4th century. However, Julian demolished it in the course of the century.    In the late 4th century, the Byzantine emperor Theodosius reconstructed it to honor God for saving his son Arcadius from a shipwreck. Supposedly, Arcadius didn't survive the shipwreck, but Our Lady saved him and he was subsequently found by a bush on dry land.    "Vatos" in Greek means bush and "pedi" means child, which is why the monastery was named Vatopedi.   The Arabs demolished it again in 862 and in the 10th century three rich brothers - Athanasius, Nicholas and Anthony from Hadrianople reconstructed it on St. Athanasius's advice. 

In the late 12th century, Vatopedi became inhabited by Serbian monks of noble origins - Rastko Nemanjic and Stefan Nemanja, his father.
Their monastic names were Sava and Symeon.
They were among the greatest benefactors of Vatopedi, having facilitated the considerable expansion of the monastery. The monasteries of Vatopedi and Hilandar have nurtured
a particularly strong relationship ever since.
For example, when Hilandar celebrates its holiday, Vatopedi's abbot holds the service and vice versa.

In the early 14th century Gregory Palamas, the pre-eminent theologian of the late Byzantine period, spent his ascetic years in Vatopedi's vicinity.

The catholicon, dedicated to the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin, was built around 985, with the narthex completed in 1426. This is one of the largest churches of Mt. Athos.  The catholicon bears frescoes and partially preserved mosaics dating from the 16th century.  The bell tower has the height of 35 meters.

The catholicon is preceded by a magnificent vestibule which is connected to two spacious porches, the exterior and the interior one.   The right side of the porch is dedicated to St. Nicholas, whereas the left celebrates St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki. Above it is a portion dedicated to Our Lady, known as "Solaces".

Vatopedi is considered the richest Mt. Athos monastery, since it holds as much as 8 wonder-working icons.  Ktetorissa or Vimatarissa, Esphagmeni, Paramythia, Antiphonitria, Eleousa, Elaiovrytissa, Pantanassa, Hodegetria.

The monastery's treasures include pieces of the True Cross, pieces of Christ's reed, sponge and robe and the unique and priceless girdle of the Theotokos.  Vatopedi holds the relics of the following saints: Gregory of Nazianzus, Andrew of Crete, apostle Bartholomew, Theodore Stratelates, Parascheva, Cyriacus, Sergey, ..., Charalampus, Panteleimon, Tryphon, John the Merciful, Stephen, Demetrius of Thessaloniki, Efthimios of Vatopedi etc. 
 
 

Vatopedi includes a chapel built by the Serbian noble Jovan Uglješa. The catholicon's altar holds a cross of the Musić brothers and the treasury guards the chalice of Toma Preljubović. 

For more than 10 centuries, the monastery's ossuary has been making an effort to preserve the entire remains of the deceased brethren.  Athonite customs stipulate that every monk's remains must be exhumed three years following his death and his bones transfered to the mutual ossuary. 

Vatopedi includes 16 chapels, besides the catholicon.  The library holds one of the most precious and rarest book and manuscript collections - emperor charthers of: Andronicus, Andronicus II Palaiologos, Andronicus III Palaiologos, Michael I of Russia, Ivan V and Tzar Peter. One of the most valuable library items is a copy of Ptolemy's Geography with maps. 
 
It possesses over 2000 legal codes in writing. 

The especially revered holiday in Vatopedi is the Presentation of Mary, celebrated on April 7. 

Vatopedi is ranked 2nd in the Mt. Athos hierarchy.

It is occupied by more than 120 monks.