A ‘natural’ brigde not far from Karakalou

In 1986 my friend Pieter and I walked from Iviron to Lavra on our second Athos pilgrimage. Just after passing Karakalou we entountered a deserted and partly ruined building. Not knowing what it was and who it belonged we entered the premisses and found all kinds of personal belongings from monks who had died years before.

One of the main things I kept for more than 25 years was a wax stamp, that I discovered in what used to be the library. The wax stamp of Timiou Stavrou

Some years after starting this weblog about Mount Athos, I found out that the settlement was inhabited again, and that someone was rebuilding the large Ukrain kellion.

So in 2011 I decided to go back to the place I visited 25 years ago and I wanted return the wax stamp to the place where it belonged.

The first view of Timiou Stavrou kellion, seen fro the West side

To be honest, I felt kind of nervous: not knowing what to expect, I asked my friends to wait outside,while I tried to make contact with whoever lived there.

Timiou Stavrou, Oktober 2011

In the garden I spoke to some workmen, who told me to go into the building and search for the monks on the balcony. This is how I saw the same spot 25 years ago:

When I entered the building it showed out that a large group of monks was gathered on the balcony, having some kind of meeting. When I asked politely if anyone could speak English, Father David came to me and explained he was the present owner of the kellion.

The group of monks, with Father David the third from the right, holding the wax stamp

When I explained to him that I wanted return something that belonged to the building and not to me, he looked surprised and exited. And when I gave him the wax stamp, he was so enthusiast and happy! He told me that, when he came to the ruined kellion 10 years ago, nothing of any value had remained in the building. This little gift was the first original artifact from he kellion he recieved. And, secondly, it was a special day of feast for the kellion and the monks had been praying in church all night. He was so delighted by this gift that my friends were invited to come in and we were offered a great meal (at 11 in the morning!).

The dome of the kellion, where I found a large bronze bell hanging 25 years ago. In the meanwhile the bell was been tranfered to Karakalou monastery (see 1298). According to Father David removing the bell saved the existance of the kellion, because it might have caused totall destruction of the building, when the bell would have come down one day.

Although Father David was tired after a long night without sleep, he first gave us a extensive tour through the building and he told us everything about what happend in the past 10 years.

The building originates from 186-(?-), as shown in the inscription in the wall.

An original Russian style wall painting 

Father David installed new bells, which he played for us (also see here on You Tube – at 4.09 minutes)

The new iconostasis in the church: in the faults under the dome some original fresco’s remain. The bell and the old iconostasis were taken to the Karakalou monastery.

The old iconostasis in 1986, with the original fresco, to be seen through the right window (left corner)

Because it was a feast day at the kellion we were very lucky: we were offered a great meal with salmon and wine!

Father David with a guest in the kitchen

While we were eating Father David took some time to take a closer look at the wax stamp I just gave him. He returned with a interesting message: the kellion, once inhabited by some 70 monks, was led by a friendly monk called Lotz. And the wax stamp contained his name, so the stamp did belong to this former leader of the settlement!

The wax stamp of the Lotz

After lunch we were escorted to the garden: but first we saw these rooms, with old clay vessels, to contain oil or wine.

Father David spend all of his privat funding the renovate the building, but is not finished yet. he proudly showed us some of the just finished guestrooms.

We were invited to see the ossuarium in the garden (photo thanks to Jitze), and this gave us a big surprize.

Because when Father David entered the small building ……

he came out with a skull…………

belonging to the monk Lotz, the owner of the wax stamp!!!!!!!!!!!! The name Lotz on the skull did fade away a bit and was difficult to see on this picture, but it was the same guy.

A very special monent indeed, both for me, as for Father David!

Soon we had say goodbye, because time was running out and we still had a long walk to go to Lavra.

Father David in front of ‘his’ Timiou Stavrou

Me and Father David (and Lotz’ wax stamp)

The ruined east side of Timiou Stavrou

The east wing and the ossuarium in the garden

Leaving Timiou Stavrou – Wim and Gert Jan (photo by Jitze)

This ends my story about this “unknown kellion”, as I said three years ago. We know a lot about it nowadays and it wil not be the last time that I will visit this very friendly monk David.

Later I send all other findings from 1986 by post back to Father David (see below). I hope they will find a good place in his building and that he will be able to raise enough fundings to keep the building intact and to renovate it.

Wim, 20/5

1300 – Timiou Stavrou: the last episode of an adventure is a post from Athos Weblog.

The film is made by Juri Vorobyuevsky over a period between 1989 and 2005 and it contains scenes of the film “Unexpected Athos”, published in 2000.

The film, spoken in the Russian language, is difficult to understand, but there some extraordinary scenes in it, that I want to show you.

First of all there is a scene shot on a spot somewhere above the Lavra monastery, with the ancient pre-christian rock inscriptions, that we showed you before in post nr 1051 and 1199. It begins at 22.50 mininutes. Here are some images:

I have not found the excact location of this spot, but it is not far from Lavra and there some big cypresses nearby.

It would be great if a Russian speaking visitor could translate the words of the journalist about these carvings! Who can help us? And why does the maker shows a scene from a black and white film at 25 minutes and some pages of a book afterwards?

The next interesting scene can be found at 39.20 minutes. Here you can see and here the Russian “dreadlock” hermit Stefana from Karoulia, who also sings beautiful at 43.30!

Wim, 10/5

1299 – Russian film about Athos: 1989 – 2005 is a post from Athos Weblog.

 The interior of the guesthouse

The same hallway, in the opposite direction

Old water basin and tap

One of the chapels behind closed doors (near the guesthouse)

The visitors book in the guesthouse of Karakalou

With the rules of the monastery above it: “concerning hospitality”

Athos map in the hallway

Watercolour art from Karakalou: Xizos Michail (?) 1996/7

This last picture shows you something about the things that are to come: this large bell does not belong to Karakalou and originates from the nearby kelli Timiou Stavrou. I wanted to visit this kellion for a long time, because I have seen it in 1986, as reported in older posts ”An adventure on the Holy Mountain – part 1 2 and 3″ (see 187, 188 and 192 + 702, also see the categories).

And this adventure continues, because we will take a closer look at Timiou Stavrou next time (and I had a special reason to go back there)!

Wim, 8/5

1298 – Karakalou: the interior is a post from Athos Weblog.

 Athos, seen from 13 km high, on our way from Amsterdam to Karpathos

Wim and Herman, April 30th

1297 – Athos seen from our plane, Thursday April 26th is a post from Athos Weblog.

Locusts falling from the sky with the sun covered by clouds (not a mushroom caused by an atomic explotion, as some say), with an angel above the scene, with a long horn and a key in his hand (on the Dionysiou scene the key is missing).

Apocalyptic scene: people are slaugthered by angels and numerous knights sit one lions with snake-tails, God with two angels overlooking the scene. Two saints are next to the scene, Vicarios and Achiaos (?)

On the right: Angels reaping and harvesting earth and left: “a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns”:

Detail of angels harvesting grapes

Chapter 8 of the Apocalypse

John continues in chapter 13 with three verses about angels, one proclaiming the fall of Babylon. Verse two: “And the beast which I saw was like to a leopard: and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion”.

Badly damaged scenes: horsemen on the left and disasters (?)

Right: “The vision of the woman clothed with the sun and of the great dragon her persecutor”. Left: Holy Saint with a winged and crowned dragon

Disaster strikes again: the black sun and red moon, wrecked ships and snow (chapter

The four horsemen, including Death on the pale horse

Earthquake and falling stars with people hiding!

And I’ll finish with some other fine fresco’s, starting with one of the Pantocrator:

detail of his face: 

The Panaghia and the child Jesus

Angel

I hope the fresco’s will be saved and conserved in the near future, because their condition is in bad shape !

Wim, 24/4

(next week we will be in Greece with our familie,  this time not to visit Athos, but KARPathos!)

1296 – the cyclus of the Apocalypse of John in the Exonarthex of Karakalou is a post from Athos Weblog.

The newly renovated Panaghia refuge

A relatively clean room with iron beds and some matresses

The fireplace and a well with clear fresh water

A window in Panaghia with icons, books and oil

If you want some more information about the taxidriver who brought us to Ouranopolis, read this blog.

The situation on the top is a bit messy: the construction of the new chapel is well on the way, but far from finished:

The unfinished new chapel

a concrete mixer at 2033 meters

The temporary chapel at the top, Oct 4th 2011

Wim, 17/4

1295 – climb to the top: the Panaghia chapel and the new chapel is a post from Athos Weblog.

Karakalou: the balcony of the guesthouse, where we spend the evening of Oct 3th with a good conversation

In the early morning of October 4th 2011 we woke up an saw the sun rising at 7: North wing, with building H, Δ 3 (WC/bathroom) and Z1, the guesthouse, see the plan below,

Plan of Karakalou by Mylonas.

Building T, in front of the entrance, with scaffolds and a construction crane: photo shot from the corner of building H.

The entrance of Karakalou, with the construction crane on the right. Notice the white phiale  (B1) behind the crane, outside the monastery walls! (photo thanks to Jitze)

The Phiale: a marble watertap

Two painted red fish and a text in Greek above the watertap

The small dome of the phiale with a badly damaged fresco of the Panaghia and the child Jezus, surrounded by buildings

Stucco falling and cracks in the wall: the present state of maintenance of the phiale

Entrance doors Karakalou

Paul and Peter above the entrance

Agioreitiki Byzantini Ora: Athos time and clock, just after entering the monastery

Wim, 15/4

1294 – Karakalou is a post from Athos Weblog.

His plan to return the glass plate negatives to a project starded by the monastery Simonos Petras, to collect historical pictures of Mount Athos.

Panteleimonos or Roussikon – before 1917

French sailors/marines Campagne d’Orient 1917-1918

Three French soldiers

More soldiers posing

Two French soldiers posing against a painted background, showing the Panteleimon monastery

The original (reversed) picture from ‘Plaatwerk”1986

Russian pilgrim

The original unedited photo from ‘Plaatwerk’1986

Monk posing with a parchment.

Two monks in their cell

Three monks having tea on a balcony

Two monks in a garden, posing with a bible

The courtyard of Sografou monastery: monks and pilgrims (thanks Fremaki)

A rare picture of monks on horseback or mules(?) near the Panaghia chapel, halfway to the top of Mount Athos

Could the young monk on the horse be this guy?

From ‘Plaatwerk’ 1986

My compliments for the fine work Paul did, the photos do look like new now!

Wim, 4/4

1293 – the old Roussikon pictures found by Paul Robert is a post from Athos Weblog.

hv

1292 – Edward Lear on Google art is a post from Athos Weblog.

photo: Paul Robert, Novice Michail, 85 years old, came to Athos after his wife died

Last year the Dutch (photo) journalist Paul Robert visited Athos after 30 years, this time together with his 23 year old son. Here are three articles in Dutch, that he published in 2011 in PDF format (I allready showed you the pictues from the Roussikon photo worhshop from 30 years ago in post nr 290, also have a look on this website).

Vakantie Magazine – Athos

Flower Power Travel 3 2011

Financieel Dagblad Athos-17092011

Very recent he published an article (again in Dutch) about this trip last year in the April Edition of Readers Digest (page 66 to 69). He writes about the rare opportunity to interview the Protos of Mount Athos, Elder Barnabas from Vatopedi and shows the fine pictures he took. According to Paul Robert this was the first time ever the Protos gave an interview! For more about his work and photos go to his website.

June 14th 2011 Elder Barnabas from Vatopedi is the new Protos of Athos in the Protaton church, photo: romfea.gr)

Wim, 2/4

1291 – Paul Robert: four articles in Dutch about Athos is a post from Athos Weblog.