Philotheou Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece

The Monastery of Philotheou is one of twenty monasteries on the Mount Athos peninsula and is located on the eastern side of the peninsula. It is twelfth in hierarchical rank among the monasteries. The name of 'Philotheou' is named after its founder, St Philotheos, and is derived from two Greek words which mean 'Beloved of God'. Philotheou functions as a coenobitic monastery.

Founded by St Philotheos in the last quarter of the 10th century, it was obscure until Serbian and Bulgarian monks settled there between the 14th and 16th centuries. As the Slav monks left, the monastery again became obscure; until the 18th century, when the Greek princes of Moldavia and Wallachia made grants to the monastery, with which the brotherhood had guest quarters, cells and chapels built.

In 1746, the central church was built, and over the next thirty years had fresco's painted, including the Mother of God Glykofiloussa and scenes from Revelation. Additionally, there are ten chapels connected to the monastery, four inside the monastery proper and six outside.

Philotheou possesses the wonderworking icon of the Mother of God Gerontissa, and it's library has 250 manuscript codices and two parchment rolls of the Divine Liturgy. The sacristy contains a piece of the True Cross and the right hand of St John Chrysostom, among other relics.

References:

Orthodox Wiki

User Reviews

Odin Paranormal Society of Ohio (9 months ago)
My name is Derek. I want to say I have never been here. The reason for my 5 stars is this: Let me start off with what I said in a post on Father's Day: "Woke up at 4:56 a.m. In my dream, I talked to Brad about the fact that if I buy a '74 red Corvette, can he change such and such? He said it wouldn't be race-worthy. Then I am in a house, texting a black woman who is older and apparently my neighbor. She said she was outside. I decided to lay on the couch on my left side. I heard her, assuming it was her, stand over me. Then I felt someone grab my right shoulder with a right hand. For some reason, I couldn't speak, and I woke up and felt that grab for a few seconds after I awoke. "Dealing with the number 4:56, I decided to see what 456 days ago was. Interestingly, it was 3/19. 3/19 has been a conversation of interest that came up on 6/13. I'll save that for another post. At first, A.I. told me 456 days from today would be 9/13. Incorrect. It is actually 9/15. Also, Brad's birthday is 7/27. 727 days from today is 6/13." That morning, I attended my first Greek Orthodox service in Springfield, Ohio. Their Sunday liturgy is based on the book Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom (I did his drawing on May 30th of this year). When I got home, I decided to analyze my dream some more. Now, get this: 456 days from Father's Day could either be September 15th or the 14th (that is if you count Father's Day as day one). In my book Lives of the Saints, the saint for September 14th is John Chrysostom. ? But wait, there is more. In my dream, I assumed it was the lady I spoke with on the phone who now stood over me and even grabbed my right shoulder. In the dream, I technically didn't see who the person was. The grab was firm (a right hand on my right shoulder). When I woke up, the grab lingered for a few seconds and disappeared. I have never experienced this before. Well, come to find out, the Philotheou Monastery in Mount Athos, Greece, houses Saint John Chrysostom's undecaying right hand. ? I have been looking into the Greek Orthodox Church for months (I was a protestent for over 20 years). With my research and respectfully the beautiful synchronicity of John Chrysostom, I want to join the Orthodox Church.

Nikolas Alexis Borg (10 months ago)
Icon of Panagia Glykofilousa Piece of the Holy Cross Relics of Agia Maria, Agios Mamas, Saint John Christossomos and more.

Milan Paja (2 years ago)
Great Familly...great hospitality... we come back...heawen on earth...Monks are soo friendly...you feel the power of faith... God bless Him all

5th Element (6 years ago)
A very nice and recently renovated monastery. You have to book before you come here. It’s full electrical power and full mobile signal from the most Greek mobile phones company.

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