Paul Huber Athos “Miraculous Icons Tatsoduction Peter Sutermeister Hallwag BerneOsbis Pictus 21 © 1968 Copyright by Hallwag Ltd, Berne Printed in Switzerland English translation by John L. Mettale InTRoDUCTION ‘The peninsula of Athos, dcminated by the 6,350 feet high Holy Mountain of the same name, is the easternmost of the ‘three Chalkidikean peninsuhs, with a length of 27 % miles and an area of 123 sq. miles, It is connected to the mainland by an almost 2 mile wide strip of land; but a traveller would have difficulty in finding his way through its rocky wastes to the borders of this Republic of monks. So it is better 10 take the little motor-boat in ‘Iripiti that brings him along the legitimate soute, following the coast to Daphni and the customs office. There the enchanting peace of the Island enfolds him and accompanies him over the stony, often hot and steep paths from monastery to monastery, from sacred, place to sacred place. And again and again he will see, towering above him in the seented morning air, in the heat of noonday, of in the glow of the sun setting in the sea the Holy Mountain with its mighty rocky flanks and, well into the summer, its patches of snow on the screes, and above all, the litle white Chusch of the Transfiguration on the peak. For the monks of Athos it is the symbol of the arduous pilgrim’s progress of purification to the uncreated light of Tabor, to the holy place of the Transfiguration. Already in antiquity the Mountain was endowed with special significance. The giant Athos was said to have hurled it as a lump of rock at the god Poseidon; another version of the myth has been put into verse by the German poct ‘Theodor Diubler: “Who was once Athos? A godless giant! For long he mocked the Olympians, put forth rocky fingers and pointed to metals and glittering stones, enticing the gods, and they came nigh. At once the cunning giant vanish- ed, even Zeus could aot gain the gold, Upon this, Poseidon in fury seized his mountainous region of Pallene, hurled it on Athos? hands and his head, Now he lies busied; only the geeat marble mountain piled upon him still bears his name.” However that may be, the mountain was already dedicated to Zeus, when the increasing influence of Christia- nity caused the heathen sacrificial altars to be transformed nto Christian holy places. This synthesis of ancient philosophy and Biblical belief is especially evident in the “Tripezs” (Gefectory) of the Great Lavra, A huge fresco, of the “Root Of Iesse”, depicts to the left and right of the sleeping Isai (lesse) the Greek thinkers and poets Pythagoras, Homer,Aristoteles and Galen each with a scroll in his hand, each in his own way pointing to the coming of the Saviour of the World. This peculiar conception of the “légos sperma- tikés”, the testimony of Christ present in germ in ancient philosophy, is typical of the conciliatory transition from antiquity to Christianity within the sphere of the Orthodox Church, There is no proof when Christianity was established on the peninsula, Legend tells of a hermit Peter Hagioriticus (Peter of the Holy Mountain), probably identical with Peter the Athonite, who dwelt in the 8th or oth century for fifty years as the first hermit on Athos in a “dark cave, sut- rounded by a thicket”. “A swarm of devils that nested ‘there and subjected the Holy Man to such a tumult of trials that the tongue can haedly repeat and the car hardly believe”, were driven out by him through fasting and prayer. Since that victorious struggle with the forces of evil the Orthodox Chusch has given legendary Athos the name of “Hagion Ors” (j.e.: Holy Mountain). From now on, ever more seekers after God settled on the holy headland. In 963, Athanésios the Athonite, at the instigation of his friend and penitent, Emperor Nikephéros Phokis of Byzantium, laid athwart the hasdly accessible southern tip of Mount Athos the foundation stone of the frst monastery on Athos of Toagrlastiag importance, whose millenium was celebrated in 1963 by the Orthodox Causch with great pomp. Most ‘of the monasteries still inhabited were founded i the roth and 11th centuries. In the 13th century there were said to be no fewer than 300 monasteries; and 200 years later, so wwe are told, 24,000 monks and hermits lived there! Today there zemain only about 2,000. OF course, the monks of ‘Athos cannot be unaware of this decrease, but their belief in the mission of the spiritual life on the Holy Mountain in the furnse is unassailable—how often in the course of the centuries has this life been in danger of extinction from plundering and demolition and yer has recovered each time! ‘Today, still, the gates are shut and bolted irrevocably after sunset; whoever remains outside has to fend for himself in the night and the wilderness. ‘Actually, the monks were best off under the 500 years’ ‘occupation by the Turks; they were allowed to keep their ‘own government and received in addition @ charta of self administration from the Sultans. Only during the Greek Wat of Independence did Athos suffer from a Turkish penal expedition, because some of the monks had supported the Greek rebels. Not until 2912 were the monks freed from the Turks, after Greece hid conquered the whole of Mace- donia, After the First World War the independence of the ‘Monastic Republic was confirmed in 1925 by the Treaty of Lausanne, with the restriction that the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, as spiritual Head, and the King of Greece, as temporal mules, exercise ceriain rights. The Legislative Assembly, called “lest Kindtis”, is made up of one representative from zach of 20 monasteries, whilst a college of four, under the presidency of one of the members, called ““Pr6tos” or “Protonistatis”, functions as the executive in the capital Karyés, deciding especially on financial matters ‘and acting as justice of the peace. Apast from Greek and Russian monks, Serbs (Monastery of Chilandéri), Bulgarians (Zogriphou Monastery) and Roumanians (Skiti Podrémou) also belong to the monsstic community of Athos. Many forms of monastic piety ere represented, The oldest is that of the hermit, the anchorite, dwelling in 2 lonely, sometimes scarcely accessible cell, “iving on wild fruits, roots and herbs, of obtaining his food from a monastery, near which the food is deposited for him, so that he need not meet a soul when coming to fetch it, The “Koinobites” live entirely in the monastic community, eating together, submitting the whole year through to rigid rules of fasting, whilst in the “jdiorthythmic” monasteries each monk runs his own, private household, cooks for himself, is allowed to possess certain private property and need not observe the rules of fasting so strictly. In addition there are small monastic villages (shites) each witha eentral church, Whoever sets foot on Athos leaves the modern world behind him. The only tlephone communication with the outside world is at the customs harbour of Daphni, where European and Byzantine time are both valid, But up there in the monasteries pictucesque, majestically slowly ticking “Turkish clocks, now, as a thousand years ago, regulate life in the Byzantine manner, without reference to the changes in the world outside. The road from Déphni to Karyés, built by the Greek army for the jubilee of 1963, is left to disintegrate; the monks neither want it aor need it, They go on foot or ride mules, Electricity is unknown, Water iis drawn from springs ou: in the open, and nothing quenches thirst so well as a cup of fresh spring water! Here plants have a stronger scent than in civilized parts and their fuller curative powers help to keep Athos free from sickness and epidemics, The monks here live to a ripe old age and fadeaway, their eyes turned towards eternity; meditating on the monastery balconies, gazing out across the sea, praying before icons in the candle-warm dimness of churches, oF holding converse in their lonely cells with God aloud, like children. If their minds grow feeble before their time, they ate paticntly cased for by their brothers. Everyone here wishes to live on his faith and the love that stems from it, Culture ‘counts for little, perhaps too little. This was not always so, and need not always remain so; wondesful treasures in the libraties and churches testify to an ancient culture of the mind, and a school of theology was recently founded, But whoever wishes £0 meet not just theologians but real saints, should make the pilgrimage to Athos. In the presence of the abbot of Panteleimonos or the doctor in the Great LAvra, human failings or vices—and they are not entirely absent hese, eithes—take on a childlike helpless aspect and can more easily be forgiven in this peace, full of expectancy of that which is great, final, decisive, than outside in a world tom by struggles over the present, For the great secret these monks guard is “hesychia”, meaning literally “peace”. It consists in the stillness of prayer, in mystical contemplation of the facts of Christian redemption and in spiritual con- centration on the Divinity, combined with ascetic exercises. But this aceticism is less a form of penitence ot chatitable ‘works than a purification, a preparation for the Kingdom of God. The monks live—we can feel it in conversation with them—totally for the future; in their monk’s robes, their “angel’s raiment” as they call them, ehey await the coming of the Kingdom of God, which they see heralded in certain signs already on Athos, Thus, over the Holy Mountain, also called “Mount of the Transfiguration of Christ” or the “New Jerusalem”, there hangs a strange latterday atmosphere, which even visitors of a worldly frame of mind cannot entirely escape. ‘Whoever travels on the peninsula of Athos has to adapt himself to monastic life; for there are no hotels or inns. ‘That ancient regulations forbid entry to all female creatures is well known, One might add that tourists, too, who come simply out of curiosity, are also unwelcome, But, whosoever knocks on the monastery gate as a pilgrim will, no matter what his religion, be bidden welcome with the human warmth of ancient hospitality. Then the guest is expected to take part in the centre piece of spiritual life, the sacred liturgy. It begins in the depths of night with psalms, prayers, seadings from the Bible and the homilies of the Holy Fa- thers, and it ends, while -he eastern light streams ever brighter chrough the windows, with its climax, the cele- bration of the Eucharist, Holy Communion. During mass, which lasts hours, che visito: has had leisure to have a good. ook at the wealth of pictuses in the church. ‘The walls are covered with frescoes and icons, especialy the wall glittering, jin gold, behind ehe altar, the “‘iconostasis”. But what is 1an icon, really? Ie is well to ask oneself this question during the liturgy; for the essence of the icon is inseparable from it, the liturgy itself being for the Orthodox believer the most complete icon, because in it the whole of God's re- cemptive force glows and is present, In the icon, namely, and therein lies its real meaning for the Orthodox Church, heavenly, spiritual, supernarural things can be grasped by ‘numan senses. The hour of Christ’s birth is identical in Orthodox belief with the hour of creation of the fizst icon, Christ himself being the first icon, the living image of God, the Invisible, the Inconceivable, whom no one ca imagine, because a0 one kas seen Him, except His truly begotten Son in whom God has revealed Himself to mankind. ‘And since God has becom: Man, He may be depicted in His human form. When, in the 8th century, a quarrel over images split the Chusch into two camps, the worshippers of icons saw ia the attitude of the iconoclasts a denial of the Incarnation and, therefore, felt that the substance of the ‘rue faith was threatened. In 843 Empress Theodora of Byzantium finally decided the quarrel of the images in favour of the icon worshipers. But what is human is only important and worthy of depiction in so far as what is otherworldly and divine shines through it. The Orthodox Christian is a Platonist. As a result, even the most abstract sculpture would still be to> concrete for him, It seems 0 hhim that, for human faculties, a kind of painting that deli beratcly “neglects perspective in depth and expresses the bodiless state of the original, while restricting itself to the essential, is, in so far as it can radiate divinity, the truest representation of the celestial world. In fact, the iconostasis, in the festive light of oil-lamps and candles, appears as Heaven thrown open, from which the immortalized look down to take part in the liturgy. In the centre, Christ is enthroned as “Pantokeator” ie, “Sole Ruler”, usually transfigured and full of gravity, majesty and kindness, In one hand he holds a scroll ot a book, sepzesenting the word of God, whilse the other hand is raised in blessing. At his side are depicted the Mother of God and John the Baptist. The seczet of theIncarnation, however, is regularly indicated in the centre, con the royal door, by the icon of the Annunciation, Below this there are the four evangelists. From these representations all the other saints derive their meaning; as men transfigured in Christ they are part of the truth of salvation. And the consecrated icons in the houses and rooms of the faithful carry the radiance of the holy liturgy abroad into everyday life. Whether one interprets icons theologically, from the legend of Christ’s self-portsaiture in the sudarium of Vero nica or the linen of King Abgar of Edessa, or artistically, say, from ancient Christian mummy portraits of the zed and 4th centuries from Fayoum—one still misses their essence, if one fails to see them primarily as the heavenly window for the faithful and probably, therefore, one of the central concerns of Orthodox Christianity, Whilst the occidental Christian pulls Heaven, so to speak, down towards himself and seeks to keep hold of it in word and dogma, for the Orthodox believer Heaven descends in the liturgy and the eon as an act of pure grace to draw the earth and man to itself and transfigure them. Thus, in the east, dogma is less important than correct liturgical prayer, talking abour God less important than the secret of the true image of God. For this reason, we should not speak of icon art. Yoon painting means serving God. The painter monk was specially consecrated for his high office and prepared himself by fasting, praying and reading of the Holy Scriptures until hhe was nothing but 2 medium for a supernatural seality. ‘This explains why the usual first task of the young painter monk was the depiction of the Transfiguration of Christ. ‘The extent to which he achieved this difficult task was 0 prove his vocation, Prescriptions and technical aids were available to him in the “‘Hermeneia”, the book of painting ‘oa Mount Athos, based partly on the traditions of ancient rales of art, We can now more casily understand why ia Orthodox belief icon painting does not go against the commandment forbidding the making of images. An icon is not an image, but patt of transcendental reality commu- nicating itself to human senses through the medium of the monastic painter, In the depiction of the pantokrator it is not the painting that is worshipped, but the Divinity revealed in human form; in an icon of @ saint we venerate not the subjective vision of an artist, but the objective spiricuality of the saint shining through the painting. The Orthodox Church is, as one realises, nowhere so well as on Athos, eschatological and visionary. It is no accident that it feels especially close to the evengelist John with his revelations. Certain icons have been distinguished by Heaven, according to Orthodox belief, in thst their original can work micacles through his image on earth. Athos possesses. several of these miraculous icons. Paul Huber, an ordained clesgyman with access to the Holy of Holies, was allowed to take the following photographs, thanks especially +o the favour bestowed on him by the Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagézas I and letters of recommendation from the bishops of the Greek and Russian Orthcdox Churches in Switzerland. We hereby thank these prelates for their help and understanding. Almost all icons aze kept in semicdark churches or cave. like chapels whieh, in the absence of electric current, cannot be sufficiently illuminated to take perfect photographs. Since, furthermore, these pictures cannot be removed, the pub: lishers have decided to put up with certain technical short- comings in order to make these icons of Athos available in colour for the first time to a wider ciscle of friends of the Oxthodox world. ‘These icons having been badly damaged in the course of centuries by incense, soot and dustand having been repeatedly retouched, it is hardly possible to date them reliably. Thus, on the following pages, we simply distinguish between Byzantine and Old-Slavonic holy pictures from the time before the fall of Byzantiam in 1453 on the one hand and later Greek and Russian icons on the other.Joun tHe Baprisr Greck Icon in the Great Live, unded ‘The idiorrhythmic great monastery of Livra was by Athanisios the Hermit in 963. He was a close friend of Nikephéros Phokas, Emperor of Byzantium and received for his monastery church chalices in beaten gold, crowns beset with jewels, gospel books illuminated with miniatures and icons. Some of these valuable gifts were destroyed by fires, looting and earth quakes. But the Great Livra has, compared with the other Athos monasteries, weathered its ten centuries fairly well, being particularly protected at the southern tip of the sear peninsula, surrounded by the stormy sea, And so it possesses the richest store of icons. The inner walls of St. Michee!’s Chapel, are covered with wood paintings from various centuries; in the monastery church, however, We find some of the most precious icons, among which the figure of Joha the Baptist, depicted here as an angel in a camel-hair tunic, He already dish his own head, cut off by order of the Tetrarch Herod of Antipas, because John the Baptist admonished the Hebrew king: “You have no right to your brother's wife!” (Mark. 6,18). In the west part of the monastery church called the “Katholikon” (jc. community church) there is a fresco from 1535, depicting the Feast of Herod and the Death of John # Fresco and icon work upon the viewer with equal int The Orthodox Church celebrates the “Feast of the Decapi tation of the Pzddromos (precursor of Christ)” on August zoth. The first, second and thizd “Finding of the Venerable Head of the Prddromos” are also celebrated, as the head of John the Baptist is considered miraculous, Awelis in Heaven and beats i erated as miraculous, that w 1¢ Baptist. Thus, in the same room, Plate «Canter Pawvoxrator Greek Icon in the Protiton ‘The intesior of the main church of the capital Karyés—called the “Protiton” (First House of God)—holds every vsitor spellbound, The walls were painted from top to bottom ia 1282-1328 in exactly prescribed cycles by Michael “Pansé- linos” (ie. full moon, shining brighter than all others), the representative of the Macedonian school of painting. To balance the frescoes i this monastic church, a marble choir sercen rises in the foreground on which hang four life-size icons with a golden background, This screen (about 10 fect high) is different from other iconostases on Athos in that it demonstrates the transition from the early medieval stone choir screen to the Byzantine picture wall. The Protaton was enlarged in the roth century by St Athandsios, the founder of the Great Livea, so that the church possibly dates from the gth century. ‘The icons shown in plates 2, 3 4 and 5 are to be found in this church, “Pantokritoros” (ie. Universal Ruler) holds in his left hand the Bible, whilst his right hand is raised in blessing. In many icons the Holy Book is open, and usually there is written on the two open pages: “I am the light of the world. No fcllower of mine shall wander in the dark. He shall have the light of life.” (John 8, 12), Thus is the power of “Christ Pantokrator” defined. As the Lord of Heaven and Earth he can overcome Hell and even the power of death. This Lozd-of Heaven-and-Earth icon is to be found in every Greek and Russian Church, always to the right of the Royal Gate, the entrance to the Holy of Holies, whilst the Blessed-Virgin icon always adorns the picture wall on the left of this gee Plate 2‘Tre Buessep Virncrn or Karvis Greek Ieon in the Protiton Besides the “Prodromos” ((.e. precursor of Christ, Joba the Baptist) and che “Pantokrétoros” (i.e, Sole Ruler, Jesus Christ), every iconostasis has a third wood painting, the “Panagia” (ie. All Holy, Mary). In the principal church of ‘Athos, t00, the three most important icons are hung in the prescribeé order, compulsory for the whole Orthodox Church. The fourth icon alone, on the far left of the picture wall (nozth) may vary. Usually it depicts the saint to whom the church or monastery is dedicated or, as in the Protéton, a celebration of the Blessed Virgin (“The Passing Away of the cet of the Lord”, ef, Plate 5). ‘The various designations, such as “All Holy” (Panagia), “Brernal Virgin” (A€ipésthenos), “Conceiver of the Lord” (Theotékos) or “Mother of God” (Mitic Theod) indicate the special place of Mary among the saints. On the one hhand she is deemed to be the gateway through which the eternal “logos”, the word of God, entered the age of man: “The word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1, 14) —as the evangelist alludes to the secret of the Incarnation of God in the womb of the “Conceiver of the Lord’. On the other hand, she is revered as the exalted intercessor hands raised 10 H ven, She is also called “Platytéra”, Le. “yaster than the heavens”, because s smbraces the heavenly canopy ind bore its Creator in her womb, The special feature of the Blessed Virgin of Karyés is that she has no Child in her arms, The attitude of adoration is thus enhanced, But in most eases Mother and Child are shown together, since Orthodox dogma requires that Mary should not be adored independently of Jesus. Plate 3WE BLESSED VirGIN oF MERCY, CALLED «ELEOUSA» Greek Icon in the Protiton Byzantine pictures of the Blessed Virgin differ from Madonnas of the West in thar the style, attitude and gesture have remained unchangec throughout the centuries, whilst Ma- donnas bear the cleat imprint of the period the in, Rubens” joie ve is extended to his Madonna depicts Virgins of sensuous charm in baroque sumptuousness, to the Orthodox Blessed Virgin with her ong, strongly-profiled features. The | pious beholder unapproachable, almost aloof, as befits the celestial nature of an icon; but at the same time, her maternal nature attracts the believ at (to quote Rudolf Otto) we may speak of the icon as “‘mysterium tremendum ac fascinosum”, With “trembling” (cremendum) the Orthodox Christian approaches the unapproachably Holy Onc, that threatens to destroy the unholy one. Only his faith in Divine Mercy enables him to withstand the stern gaze of the icon, whose “attraction” (fascinosum) holds the worshipper spell bound. Whilst the icon of the “terrifying Mother Superior” (Phoveri Prostasia, Plate 7) type points to “*tremendum”, the “Blessed Virgia of Mercy” (Plate 4) represents in theology the element of “fascinosum”, In accordance with the joyous tidings of the Gospels, the isons in the monasteries of Athos are mostly of the “Eleoasa” kind. But equally significant is that, only a few hundred yai monastery church of Koutloumousiou, the miraculous “Phovera” icon is venerated, as a sign, $0 to speak, that the Gospel also knows the severity of in stark contra is from the Protiton, in the judgement,‘Tue Passisc Away or ‘mum Morne or Gop, cauump «Kommsts» Greek Icon in the Protaton Of the eight feasts of the Mother of God described is tke “Hermeneia”, the book of painting on Mount Athos, the Death of the Mother of God and he: Ascension are most often depicted. The monastic painter has painted the jcon of the “Death” (“Koimesis”, mod. Greek “Kimisis”, Lat. “Dormitio") exactly in accordance with prescription Whilst at the head of the dying Mary the Apostle Paul and the young Evangelist John are occupied, Peter is swinging f the Blessed Virgin. In the upper row there stream from two side chapels the other apostles, bishops and church digaitaries, among who we ‘cen recognize Dionysios Arcopagites, Hiero:heos and Timo- theos with the Gospels in his hands. Above the mourning swomen and adoring angels the twelve Apostles again float down ia little clouds from Heaven in order to escort in triumph the Mother of God, who appears right at the top ia the middle of the piccure alseady in the mandorla of the Ascension, By means of the artistic device of simultaneous sepresentation—according to legend Mary did not ascend into Heaven (assumptio) until three days after her death: tke monastic painter succeeds in imparting visible motion and atmosphere to his composition. Tn the centse of the icon, Jesus rises above the severing throng, surrounded by litle cherubim and seraphim, both consisting only of a head with three pairs of wings. Christ holds in his hands his mother’s soul in che form of a little child, ‘The kimisis-icon hangs as the fourth large printing on wood ‘on the far ‘an incense burner at the feet ‘of the marble choir sezeen ia the monastery church of Karyés, Two features distinguish ie from the usual dormitio-icons: From the silver hale of the Blessed ‘Virgin there hangs a silver eat, a votive offering of a deaf man cured of his ailment, an indication of the mizaculous ‘power of the icon, Then again, there is no depiction of the Jew Antonius (also called Sophanias) with his hands am- Pputated as a punishment for his violation ‘Obviously the artist zejected the medieval an ‘horror-tale associ with the “kimisis” Plate 5 bi 7 a S) ei] =Tae Mrraccrous Monmar or Gop, CALLED «AXION Estin» Byzantine Icon in the Altar Rocm of the Protitoa The adjacent photograph of the miraculous icon could only be taken by special permission of the “Yera Epistasia” (Holy Superior Authority of the Monastic Republic). Ie is to be found behind the iconostasis in the altar zoom, the so-called “Vima” (“Bema”) that only priests may enter. The miracle worker is enthroned on the stone abbot’s chair uunder a canopy and is the object of princely veneration. On the oceasion of the millenium of Athos it ‘Athens like a seigning monarch co the sound of all the church bells. The miraculous icon is believed to be the most farnous on Mount Athos, if not in all Greece. According to legend, at the beginning of the 8th century, during the passionately waged quarzel of the images under the By vantine Emperor Leo Ill, the Sysian (717-741), it was so hacked with a sword by a soldier of the Emperor that its blood flowed into the sea off Constantinople, Shaken by this sign, the repentant sinner fled to do penance on Mount ‘Athos. One day he spied the icon of the Blessed Virgin, that had floated over the sea fcom Constantinople, lying on the shore of Mount Athos, still bleeding and dyeing the water red, He hurried towards it, seized the holy picture, trembling aad in fear, and husriedly bore it to the church of the “Pré= tos" (the First), from which the “Protiton’ gets its name. These, ia the main church of Athos, the sabre wound stopped bleeding, as a sign that the Mother of God hed forgiven the icon deseerator his sin, Full of gratitude, the assembled monks intoned the prayer to Mary: “Verily it is meet (Greck: “‘Axién estin”), 20 praise Thee, Thou cteznally blessed and purest Mother of God...” Since that time this hymn of praise has been sung every day, and its fisst ewo words have given che miraculous icon its name. Later the venerable icon was provided with a protective covering in gold, the inscription on which (see the scroll ia the hand of the Child Jesus) reads: “The spizie of the Lord is upon me" (Lake 4, 17). ss received in Paate 6Tue PHoveRA PRosTastA, Tue Terrirvine ProrrcrrEss ‘Cretan Iean in the Monastery of Koutloumousto ‘The fortress-like kinovite monastery of Koatloumousion got its foreign-sounding name from the adventurous Seljuk prince Kutelmish of Turkestan, who was converted to the Christian faith in the 11th century and thereby enjoyed the favour of the Byzantine Emperor. He founded on Mount Athos near Karyés a monastery, which he himself entered as amonk,’The first documented mention of Koutloumousiow dates from the year 1169, Its main icon comes from Crete and consists, s0 it is claimed, of unburnable wood. As the small blisters on its face indicate, it bas survived several monastery fires intact. Legend bas it that i: even defied incendiary Turkish soldiers, who feil upon several monaste~ ries, burning and looting. The coastal fortress of Iviron had already fallen, and the Turks stormed up the tear down the foundation of their compatriot Kutelmish, converted to Christianity, But the monastery disappeared from the face of the earth. ‘The monks, standing by to defend themselves, heard the raging and stozing of their foes close by. But no Turkish attack followed, because the “Terrifying Protectress"—the “Phoveri Pros wrought a miracle of camouflage, Since this miraculous ‘ond che bounds of led rescue her reputation has spread far Athos, In times of need and threat of war itis always apy to as a miraculous protectress. “Prostasit” also means “Superior”. Every year the monks escort their icon to the neighbouring protéton chuzch. For custom requises that every Easter Monday, :00, the mira calous icon “ Estin”” (see Plate 6) be carried in pro- cession from the “Protiton” to Koutloumousiou and there left for several hours, On Easter Tuesday follows the solemn return visit of the “Phovera Prostasia”. The “Mather Superior of the Monastery” leaves her ctacked glass shrine for a short time and proceeds like a princess escorted by monks to the seat of government in Karyés. Axion eaewe BLDE Greek Tcon in the Monastery of Pantokrite Athos monastery of Pantokritoros takes its name from Universal Ruler”, the pantokrator Jesus Christ. It is one of the later Inrget monasteries of the Monastic Republic, being founded ia the year 1363. The 27 monks that Ii according to the free, so-called idiorchythmic wuard within the monastery walls on the ea ount Athos thtee treasures: the Pantokritoros-psalte from the 9th century, a codex with golden miniatures from the year 1084, and the miraculous Blessed Virgin of the Eldest Monk, called “Geréntissa”” whose special feature the lack of the Child Jesus. Th re ‘cannot be compar y old wood painting: yncesned. But this i completely unimportant for Orthodox Christianity. On the contrary, the highly venerated Geréntissa icon prove thae the source of miracles is not at all restricted to the Middle ges, but can still work wonders in later times. From a) of ditect communication with the miraculous imaj the substitute icon hanging in front of it is kissed dus mass, We can recognize in it an oil jar, and thereby haat the following tale: Upon the prayer of the eldest mo géron), the oil in the jar was miraculously in ater thin this ima a voice, which commanded the monks to hasten lieu that the Hegamenos (ie. abbot) might receive Holy Commurion before he died.” The “Geréntissa” of Pantokritoro name day i ated on April 4th, is together with thi “Glykop Philothéou (see Plate 9) and the “Postat- tise” (Le keeper-icon) of Ivicon, the three miraculous women patrons of the Mountain, of which rumour has it that their removal from the three monasteries would inevitably bring about the end of the world,‘az Mrracutovs Bisssep Vin or Purtoristc CALLED «PANAGIA GLYKOPHTLOUSA», ‘THe Carrssinc ONE Byzantine Icon The highly venerated “Glykophilodsa” (literally: “sweetly caressing” the Child Jesus) in the Greek idiorrhythmic Athos monastery of Philothéou dates fzom the eatliest period ng, and is thus especially interesting #0 the ofthe few miraculous images that have nperor Leo I, the Syrian (in veneration of images in B > them all up. At that tin sprang up concerning the saving of .a of Constantinople, who had been informed n husband of the planned attempt on th philodsa”, hid eh in u smmand, she commit upright, it passed through the Dardanelles, cros in Sea, finally reaching the cast coast of the Holy Mountain, Here the Abbot (Greek: Igotimenos) of Philotéou, which was thea still koinobitic, the far-teavel ing icon at the behest of Heaven, He carried it up the mountain and brought it into the “Katholikén”, where it has had a place of honout to this day. At the landing-place of ‘on, today the harbour of the monastery (Greek: “Ars. the first misacle of water springing from the numerous micaculous cuses ention of the many mira th seas che icon held hat had stolen it. In 1817 it rescued a pilgrim Wf the nearby Isles of Lemnos and taking over the helm in the midst of £ special reverence it was clothed in 6 flerings are from cured pilgrims. Plate 9Tux Mrracutous Besse VIRGIN in THE Sxrtt or Avrou Anpafou Russian Teon ‘Close to the seat of government in Karyés tower the proud domes of the Russian Great Skiti Sardi, The monastery has a double name: “Seraglio”, in the Greek form “Sardi” (ies: castle~ike palace) reminds us of Turkish rule on Athos (2430-1912), whilst the designation “Skiti Ayiou Andréou”” recalls Saint Andzew, to whom the monastery is dedicated and where -he frontal bone of the apostle is venerated as a precious relic, Although the monastery buildings are larger than most of the Atho: reogaized as fone of the 20 Great Monasteries, and must be content title of a ‘skiti” ([e. monastic settlement). For this reason the Monastery of Saint Andrew has no representative in the 20-strong Monastic Parliament at Karyés, which the Russians feel to be an injustice. ‘Their interests have to be represented by the only Russian delegate from the faternal monastery of Panteleimonos, The back- ground of the concealed Russo-Greek tension is the formerly justified Greek fear of Russian hegemony, for, in the year 1907, Russian monks on Athos numbered 3,496, compared with 3,276 Greeks. During the period of ecclesiastic-political expansion the foundation stone of the Russian Great Si Sardi was lsid in 1876, Hundxeds of Russian pilgrims made Athos their stopping-place on the way to Jerusalem. ‘The ‘Tsar and his Grand Dukes heaped on the two Russian steries sheet gold and platinum treasures, among which Skiti the bejewelled icons are the most valuable. The gold icono- stasis in the cathedral of the Sardi cost alone 25,000 gold roubles. In this shower of gold the miraculous Blessed Virgin sepcoduced here was donated and decorated wich orders of victory. The miraculous image is kept in a special chapel and can today only be seen by the tsatist Russian monks lock and bolt their churches and treasute chamber -piscopal permission; anxiouslyTy IN THE Sxrrt Ayrou Anpaiou BursseD VIRGIN oF TENDERNESS Russiaa Icon Nowhere else is the contrast between former magnificence, ecclesiastical pomp and imperial generosity on the one hand and today's decay of the buildings and neglect of the monks ‘on the other so striking as in the Russian Great Skiti Sarit, dedicated t0 Saint Andrew. When one remembers dit in 1999 Tsar Nicholas II had the monastery built so amply that it could take 500 monks and temporarily accommodate a futther 500 Russian pilgrims, it is frightening to see the steady decay of the monastery buildings, of which only the “Sobor” (cathedzal) with its peal of 28 bells is still intact Jn this church we find the adjacent “Blessed Virgin of Tenderness” with its precious halo of pure diamonds. Pre- sented by a Russian Grand Duke at the height of the mona: tery’s prosperity, the icon has survived various political unrest, such as the Greco-Turkish war of 1912, which brought Athos emancipation from almost five centuries of Ottoman rule, and the October revolution of 1917, which completely cut off the Russian monasteries, skites and hermi- com their homeland, In the meantime, the Greeks ave enacted a law which declares that, whenever a non- Greek monastery becomes extinct, all its church treasures and icons become the property of Greece. With the argument thit Athos must be protected from communist infiltration, the Patriarch of Constantinople, in whose jurisdiction it lics, has up till now forbidden aay permanent settlement of Russian pilgrims on Athos. Like drowning sailors, the remaining six Russian monks in the monastery of St. Andrew cling to their precious icons. The “Blessed Virgin of Tender- ness” reminds them of the similar “Vladimirskaya” in the Tretiakof Gallery ia Moscow, that has already survived 8co years, Why should not their icon bring about the longed- foe miracle, too? Plate 11The only Bulgarian Great Monastery on Athos bears the name of “Zogeiphou”, that is “Monastery of the Painter has it that an archangel painted the fresco of Christ main church, and the famous micsealous icon of d “a-cheiro-poietos” (“not done by human ome by very few icons. The monastery of painter inded, according to an apocryphal document, during the reign of Leo the Wise, Emperor of Byzantium (886-912), and in the course of the centurie tichly endowed with precious gifts by the princely hou Byzantium, Bulgaria, Secbia and Moldavia. No fewer than three icons of St, George are venerated here, the oldest of hich (Gee illustration) reached Athos from Palestine as the second from Arabia, floating alone across the s the thisd, the later St. Icon, was paid 1484. The Monastery of St. George is famous mainly because of the very old Palestinian icon, whose youthful face exhibits a finger-thick wart-like exerescence on the left side of the nose. According to legend, a freethinking m doubted the miraculous powers of the icon ar lly touched ie with his right forefinger. As a punishment for such impious behaviour the unbeliever’s finger remained stuck. He could only be freed from his unhappy plight after three days bj cutting off the tip of his finger, the imprint of which i shown today as a warning example tc visicor. ‘Thi glittering silver armout of the “holy great martyr Georg: the Victorious” (Old-Slavonic inscription in memory of his jctorious campaiga in Palestine and his later decapitation under Emperor Diocletian about 287 AD) stands on a dai in the dim light of the church and is hung with numerou orders of merit, votive offerings and a Swiss watch, to shov that not only Slavs go on a pilgrimage to the mysterious, miraculous image of Zogriphou,Sarny PANTELEIMO: cod “ pS in THE Russtan Monastery OF PANTELEIMONOS Es, In the Russian "Menok Osthodox-Catholic } ast days) we find under July 27th the following iten ° A the life and death of the “Great Martyr and Healer ¢ — ha Ze a doctor at the court of Nikomedia; he was led to Christ * ~ A ro by Saint Hermolaos; informed on by doctors who wer p e 3 envious of his fame, he was atraigned before Emperor a : ot His body, however, was burned. Part of his remains are in mat) 7 _ in the Panteleémon Chapel in Moscow. He was originaly 5 led ““Panto-leon”, that *, later, however, : ; “All-pitying” i Tn 15 panels surrcunding the figure ofthe Russian sant, the P x adjacent gold icon relates his miraculous cures and his “7 ; AA martyrdom. Noteworthy is that, because of the icon’s great #9 = iP age—the Russians call it the “Thousand Year Old” ‘ae x > e painted scenes are scarcely visible. For this season th ; F goldsmith has finely wrought the whole framework of Pes ? ‘ S leah pictures in pure ammered, stamped and beset with Serer fh) jewels, The custom of protecting an especially venerated icon Sao ; f ina mante of silver, gold or platinum from dust, soct and 7 cae smoke arc the first time in the 17th century. The metal a Ay covering of an icon is called the “Risa” (Ri n). The ¥ be nN - v stery—also called “Rossikbn”, and mentioned in document * 2 ae liar feat . ach other, cac Fith three doors, and it is laden it was the t a peeece lin, which wish late on Athos the a a Church of the Resurrection in Moscow. At that time 2,000 aS aera DOf the highly-venerated miraculous images of the Ortho Church only four are directly ascribed to the painter-apostle Luke, These are the miraculous Blessed Virgin of Megaspi Lion oa Morea (Peloponn ‘ky (Cyprus), of Mount Melas in the former empire of Trebizond on the B ast and, probably the most famous, the “Panagia Triche a in the Great Monastery of Chilandéri on Mount Ath¢ srding to legend, the Evangelist Luke, who accompanied Paul on his missic ravels as a doctor, painted it himselE. In the 8th century i the hands of the influential orthodox theologian John Damascenus (circa 6 who jenerated it especially because of its healing power. Nc cd by all means f or Leo IIT, the Syrian (71 throughout the whole Fast Roman Empire. On the Caliph of Damascus had the erator John hacked off, s0 that the latter could not 1 the iconoelasts. “And so the hand had been discoloured by ink in the str snemies of the Lord, was now dyed in its reports the hagiographer. In his d spiritual aguish John Damascenus hastened to th waled mira- calous icon of the Blessed Virgin, who attached the amputated hand again and commanded the healed man to use this hand “as the reed of a swiftly writing to comp: to the glory of Christ and of the Mother of God’ atitude John donated 2 silver ha he ened to the lower half of the Tcon, Since then it has “Tricheroasa”, the Three-Handed One. = it remained in the desert monastery Saint ) near Jerusalem. Ia the rath century it came in session of Agchbishop Siva of the same name in Serbia, The latter founded in 1196 the Serbian ab! f Chilardési, where the miraculous image has sis nthroned, decorated with medals.‘Tae Mrracutous Buessep Virgin XENOPHONTOS, CALLED «Hopiarrera», «SHE WHO Pornts: HE Way» Among the various types of images of Mary that of the ia” (literally ““Waypointer” or “Leader”) is most popular. The Blessed Virgin bears the Child on her left arm and points with her sight hand to Christ, who said of himself: “T am that in this kind of depiction the “Hot tthout the Child Jesus, thus conformi “Hodig (to the Lord).” It is worth noting ia” never appears to Orthodox lief, which stipulates that the Conceiver of God (Greek: “Theatokos”, a further designation of the Mother of God) only has validity as a “Pointer of the Way” to Heaven or as 2 “Prepazer of the Way to Salvation” in conjunction with her Soa, ‘The iconographical original of the “Hodigitria” comes from Antioch in the Orient. From there the famous icon came 0 Jerusalem. In the sth century Empress Eudocia, wife of dosius II, gave the image to h Pulcheria (died 453), who had 2 monastery buile for the culous icon, called “Hodigon” after the image. From on it was held to be the main icon of Byzantium and, Syrian, was carried into victorious battle in 718, It survived the ensuing icono- clasm, In the 15th century it again accompanied the arty against the invading Turks. But this time it could not prevent the conquest of Constantinople. It was hacked to pieces by the Turks in 1453 and was lost, But the “Ho erved for the Orthodox Church, sister-in-law, Saint under Leo II, # against the Sarac s created a 1 lost, a monastic painter on Ath which enjoyed special veneration until 1730 of Vatopédi, with the miraculous “Panagia Vimatirissa”. There it was lost three times and each time found in the mon the supernatural removal of the image from Heaven. Since then the “Hodigitria” has been the goal of many pilgrims, as the attached votive offerings prov of Xenophéntos, until Plate 15. Gonco Ents x Rrsrowprxe Br Byzantine Icon i the Monastery of Dochiatiou © idiozzhythmic monastery of ¢ of Mount Athos is closel J by the Greck priest Proképios, who has bee renerated image. tholikkény (em The misaculous icon of iow on the West y entrusted with the care of the hig lis ina eee ets by permission of the three «proigotimenoin (monastic supe nber 9th. It is called Pana anne sors). Its name day is igccly Responding 1d to her for Tradition thus talls of the b example, Daily like chapel, li o copy of ei icon, so as not to come into direct d holy image. Botk writers of this < witnessed a wrought of Dochiariow, a young veking a cute c ll of this mo! yw relieved of his sickness, d faith. The q self has a soothing situation directly at the ‘expresses. Documents ship here as long ago as the year 1030. The h names the Venerable Euthymios as the monaste: i the roth century Plate 26Tue Mrracutovs Bressep Viner or Dronystou, CALLED «MYRRHOVLITISSA» Byzantine Icon ‘The Greek koinobite cliff monastery on the west coast Mount Athos possesses, besides famous parchments—we mention only the “Chrysévoulos Logos”, the bull wich the golden seal of Emperor Aléxios III of Trebizond of Septem- ber 1374-—some very old icons. Among them the “Panagia Akithistos (Hymnos)” from Constantinople, damaged by fire, is especially worthy of note. It is only exhibited for feneration in the “‘katholikén” (monastery church) on high feast days. It is 12 inches by ro inches, We wer at Easter in being able to view the famous miraculous icon from close up during a high mass. The small, portable image is placed at the beginning of the solemn liturgy in a wide gold frame specially made for it, round the edge of which the miracles of the Panagia from Constantinople are depicted in various panels. Thisicon of the Blessed Virgin of Dioaysiou, adorned by the pious monks with a fine white lace veil, is fone of the oldest icons on Athos. Legend places its origin in Antioch in the Orient, where—like the “Flodigitria” (cf. Plate 15)—it was supposedly painted by che Evangelist Lake and later presented to the Patriarch of Constantinople Bat traditicn has a historical core of truth, when it is reported that the icon was taken from the Hagia Sophia by the Pa triarch Sergios at the last moment and carried victoriously against the invading hordes of Avarians and Scythians from Asia Minot in 626, with devastating flashes of lightning and flames issuing from the holy image. In 1374, Emperor Aléxios III made a gift of the mizaculous Blessed Vizgin to his brother Dionysios, the founder of the Monastery of Dionysiou. In May 1766, so the inscription reads, a patron donated the golden cover for the icon. It is one of the few surviving wax icons, made of coloured wax sud unstic resin laid into a wooden base. Since mastic smells like myrrh, the miraculous icon bears the name “mysthoviitissa”, “pesfumed with myrth”, PheTex Kouxouzéurssa In THE Grear Lavra Byzantine Icon ‘The picture is named after the legendary founder of Byzan: tine church music, John Koukouzélis, As a young singer he came to Constantinople, where his fine light voice plessed the Emperor so much that he thought of marrying him to a princess, But the worldliness of the imperial court dove Kowkowzélis from Byzantium, Ia seeret he sought the quiet of Athos and got a job as a shepherd with the abbot of the Great Lavra. His incognito was revealed, however, when his, wonderful voice was heard. In response o the abbor’s pleading, the Emperor desisted fom fetching back the runaway court singer who, from now on, was to sing every Saturday in che liturgy che 24 verses of the Akithistos hymn to the glory of the Blessed Virgin. Tired from his hard day’s work, he once fell asleep after the Saturday liturgy beneath the image of the Blessed Virgin at the monastery gate, Then he heard her voice: “Be joyful, John! Sing, and do not cease to praise me in song. And your reward shall be in Heaven.” She handed him a gold coin, the pledge that he was to enter her service, When the singe: awoke, he still had in his hand the gold coia, which John attached to the icon as a sign of his celestial vocation, ‘Thereupon, a chapel was erected for the miraculous image: It received from its protégé John Koukouzélis the name “Koukouzélissa”. When the aged singer was bedridden with gout, it healed him, Since thea, many pilgrims have sought 2 cure of sickness from the icon. ‘The life-size icon is seated on a chair Later it was provided with a bejewelled silver coating, upor which is depicted the legendary entey into Mary's service with the gold coin, When the writer was photographing the image on April rith 1964, an earthquake tremor, whose epicentrum was under the neighbouring Isle of ‘Thassos, was felt, The moaks interpreted ths as a strong gesture of the icon’s disapproval ‘of being photographed. Plate 18Tur Mrracutous Imace in THE Great Lavra, CALLED «OrkoNoMISSA», THE DIRECTRESS Greek Teo ‘This very Iatge silver icon of ihe post-Byzantine period shows a total of 14 persons, almost larger than life, all of whom are connected with the legend of the foundation of the Great Lavra (Greek: “Megisti Lara”, i.e. great monastic community). The hagiographer tells ‘the following tale: When, ia 965, Saint Athanasios, commissioned by his patro: Nikephéros Phokis, then Emperor of Byzantium, began to build a fortified monastery to provide shelter for the dispersed hermits living on Mount Athos, he suffered one setback after the other, so that he dejectedly decided to abandon the great project and leave the peninsula, But, on the way, the Blessed Virgin appeared and ordered him to turn back and complete the monastery with her help, As an earnest of her help she ordered Athanésios to strike with his staff—which is still kept as a relic—water from the rock. At once the miracle happened. “Turn back! Your monastery shall zise to great honour and be an unattainable example to many. From now on you shall call me “Oikodémissa”—Monastery Builder.” At this the Heavenly Apparition, clothed in white, vanished (compare the silver plaited gown of the Queen of Heaven ia the icon, reminiscent of Venetian goldsmith’s work). With renewed energy Athandsios the Athonite set to work, The Great Livza was almost Ginished when, in 1004, the dome of the Church collapsed and buried the founder of the first monastic settlement on Athos. With the help of the “Oikodémissa”, however, the monastic fortress on the southerntip of the Holy Mount was completed In her honout there hangs today in the “Narthex”” (nnet ante-chamber of the church) the silver icon, in front of which pilgrims say their prayers, before entering the adjoining side-chapel to the grave of the saint. In the course of the centuries the original name has changed from “Oikods. missa” to “Oikondmissa”, which, a umstances, means “Directress of ipted to modern Monastery”, Plate 19‘ORBIS PICTUS SERIES 1 The Ravenna Mosaies 2 The Stained Glass at Chartres ‘The Isenheim Alear Pompeian Wall Paintings Holy Icons ‘The Nativiey Antique Jewellery Catalorian Paintings 9 Precious Stones 10 The Duc de Berry’s Book of Hours 11 Old Clocks 12 Brueghel ~ Children’s Games 13, Meissea Porcelain 14 Oriental Carpets 1 Romantic Switzerland 16/17, The Sistine Chapel, Frescocs 18 Chinese Painting. ‘The later tradition 19 Impressionist Painters from Manet to Sisley 20 Impressionist Painters from Cézanne to Toulouse-Lautree ax Athos ~ Miraculous Icons aa Amlash Ar: 23 Famous Stamps of the World