The Monastic Republic of Mount Athos: the traditions of Orthodox people of Greece, Russia, Serbia, and Georgia

St Thikon University – February 2015

As our followers know, in 2014 two new organizations opened at St. Tikhon’s Orthodox University –St.Tikhon-Serbia and St.Tikhon-Greece, whose aim is to help the development of a friendship between Orthodox countries. Within this framework, on 3rd February the joint efforts of the Department of International Relations, and the Center for Education and Culture of St. Tikhon’s University, organized an event totally dedicated to Mount Athos.

Mount Athos, commonly referred to as the “Holy Mountain”, is home to twenty stauropegial Eastern Orthodox monasteries under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. St. Tikhon’s University gathered Russian, Georgian, Serb, and Greek guests in order to tell the public about the history and the traditions of this holy place.

The evening was the occasion to celebrate the canonization of saint Paisios, occurred on 13th January 2015. Saint Paisios of Mount Athos, born Arsenios Eznepidis (1924–1994), was a well-known Eastern Orthodox ascetic from Mount Athos, who originated from Pharasa, Cappadocia. He was respected for his spiritual guidance and ascetic life and many people worldwide highly venerate Elder Paisios, especially in Greece and in Russia. We had the honor to invite people who knew him personally, as father Nikon (Smirnov), prior of the Moscow town church under the Pantaleon’s Monastery of Mt. Athos, and father Michael Makridis, whose book about Elder Paisios has just been translated in Russian. In the event took part also Evlogij, Metropolitan of Vladimir and Suzdal, whose speech opened the evening. This was the first public event in Russia dedicated to Elder Paisios after his canonization.

A part from lecturers, the public was delighted by Greek and Georgian Church choirs, a video about the history of Mt. Athos, a presentation of photos made by photographer Valery Bliznyuk. Everyone enjoyed the evening, and even the length of it was not a problem – at 22.30 people were still talking in front of the buffet, sharing their opinions about the event.

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