Mănăstirea Xiropotamu (Muntele Athos)

The Monastery of Xeropotamou is one of twenty monasteries on the Mount Athos peninsula and is located on the southwestern side of the peninsula. It is located on the road from the port of Daphne to the town of Karyes, the administrative center of the monastic republic. It is eighth in hierarchical rank among the monasteries. The katholikon of the monastery is dedicated to the memory of the Forty Holy Martyrs. The feast day is March 9.

History

While tradition accords its founding to the Empress Pulcheria in mid fifth century, Xeropotamou Monastery is believed to have been established at the end of the tenth century, by a monk named Paulos Xeropotamenos. Xeropotamou prospered until the thirteenth century when it was occupied and pillaged by the Franks. The monastery was supported in a revival in the fourteenth century by the Byzantine Roman Paleologan dynasty and Serbian princes. Then, after the fall of Constantinople further raids by the Turks and major fires in 1507 and 1609 caused major damage to Xeropotamou which had gone in decline.

Kaisarios Dapontes built the katholikon at Xeropotamou between 1761 and 1763. The church is typical of the Anthonite churches on the peninsula. The frescos were finished during the twenty years after the construction of the katholikon and have been kept in very good condition. Across a courtyard in front of the katholikon is the refectory built by the Wallachian abbot Alexander. The monastery suffered damage from fires recently in 1950 and 1973.

There are seven chapels within the monastery proper. These chapels are dedicated to the Archangels, Ss. Constantine and Helen, the Elevation of the Holy Cross, St. John the Baptist, St. Theodosios, St. George, and the Presentation of the Virgin. The monastery has external nine chapels and owns the port of Daphane.

Treasures

The monastery library and treasury are located above the narthex of the katholikon. The library contains 409 manuscript codices, of which 20 are written on parchment, and some 4,000 printed books. Xeropotamou holds a number of pieces of the True Cross, including the largest piece. This piece, which contains one of the holes left by the nails that fastened Christ to the Cross, is set in a wooden crucifix. Additionally there are many relics of saints, episcopal staffs, vestments and liturgical objects in the monastery treasury.

External links

• Xeropotamou - Hellenic Ministry of Culture
• Mount Athos - Xeropotamou

Ctitor dintru început a fost împărăteasa Pulheria a Bizantului (424) si fratele ei Teodosie cel Mic. Pe la anul 839 a fost jefuită de arabi, iar pe la 870 s-au adunat monahii printre care a fost si fiul împăratului Bizantin Mihail Procopie, care îmbrăcând haina monahală a luat numele de Pavel. El a zidit din temelie toată M-rea. După câtva timp Pavel s-a retras în singurătate unde a pus început altei M-tiri cu numele Sf. Pavel, iar cu timpul s-a ruinat si aceasta, iar cel care a restaurat-o a fost călugărul Chesarie Daponte între 1761-1783, cu ajutoare date de la domnitori si boieri Munteni. In interior are 10 paraclise.

Bibliotecă bogată cu cărti si manuscrise grecesti: 19 manuscrise pe pergament cuprinzând diferite materii din sec. X-XIV, 239 manuscrise cuprinzând probleme bisericesti din sec, XVI-XVIII si altele.

Sfinte Moaste are: Bucata cea mare din lemnul crucii Domnului îmbrăcată în argint, ca o palmă si ceva lungime si ca două degete lătime � se vede si gaura cuiului ori cine o va săruta, cu evlavie, sloboade o mireasmă nespusă, o cruce din lemn sf. împodobită cu pietre scumpe rosii, dăruită de Constantin Duca domnul Tării Românesti, un deget al Sf. Vasile cel Mare, capul Sf. Axentie, o bucată din moastele Sf. Salomeia, bucăti din fasa si scutecele Domnului, parte din darurile care le-au adus magii la nasterea Domnului, o bucată mare de sânge de la Sf. 40 mucenici si altele.