Iveron Monastery

My destination at the Holy Mountain was Iveron Monastery. I had visited this monastery last June on my first visit to the mountain. My previous visit to the monastery had been short and was one stop on a "tour" of 5 monasteries. After my experience last year, I resolved to return to Iveron to remain long enough to taste the life and daily rhythm of the community.
Since the 11th Century, Iveron has been a battlefield where monks fought the demons and passions through prayer and asceticism. It contains many treasures, including a rich library, several Holy relics (including Saint Gregory Nazianzus, St. John Chrysostom, St. Demitrius, St. Panteleimon, St. Stephen the Protomartyr, and many others), and the famous wonder-working Portaitissa Icon. You can read about this important icon here (Be sure also to read about the contemporary miracle that happened in Canada!). The monastery is located on the Eastern shore of the Athonite peninsula, surrounded by large gardens and beautiful mountainous scenery.




Is it good for the theologian to study the Gospel, to study the Fathers? … Yes, all these things are helpful—but if he remains simply at the level of collecting information, he has achieved nothing. St. Gregory Palamas says: “If you think about God a thousand times but do not experience the divine, you have not truly learned anything.” We may well ask then: How can we simply people experience the divine? But we are all simple; and the saints above all are the truly simple ones. – Archimandrite Vasileos (former Abbot of Iveron Monastery) from The Saint

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (1 Thess. 5:16-18).