Because of their fortress-like construction, Athonite Monasteries give the external impression of being a unified, residential whole, recalling the fortified castles of the Middle Ages, with all the external facilities and grounds which were necessary to keep it functioning. Construction activity on the Holy Mountain was particularly intense in the 11th century, when the shape of most of the Monasteries was determined, according to Church Tradition.
By undertaking specific initiatives, the ‘Grace’ Institute wishes to contribute to the renovation and restoration of the buildings of HGM Vatopaidi. The Monastery is a building complex of enormous historical value and among the most important in Orthodoxy.
The shape of the building complex of the Monastery has changed many times over the course of its thousand-year history, but it appears to have reached its present size as early as the Byzantine era. The surrounding wall preserves almost all of the line of the mediaeval fortification, together with remnants of most of its towers, embedded within the mosaic of later building masses.
The Monastery complex is especially imposing, because of its structure and size. The entrance includes a gateway with two gates and a passageway. The entrance opens onto the large, paved courtyard. This is where we find the main church, the font, the refectory, chapels the sacristy and other self-contained buildings. The wings form a polygon shape with a clear, fortress-like character, with battlements and nine towers in all.
ATHONIADA ACADEMY
In the 18th and 19th centuries, HGM Vatopaidi played an important role in the life of the Holy Mountain on a number of levels, as is apparent from the instance of the Athoniada School. In the 18th century, the Holy Mountain felt the need for a school, which would function as a spiritual foster-mother, able to raise educational staff for the Church and the enslaved Greek nation. This need was met by the Athoniada School, which was founded on the initiative of Pro-Abbot Meletios and the brotherhood of the Monastery of Vatopaidi. It was in the nature of an institute of higher learning and, according to the Patriarchal sigillium, was to function as a ‘university of all manner of Greek subjects, education and teaching in the logical, philosophical and theological sciences’. The School functioned at that time on a hill near the Holy and Great Monastery of Vatopaidi in a building constructed specially for that purpose and which is now abandoned.
Within the framework of our activities as a whole, one which is of particular importance to us is the reestablishment of the Athoniada School, as a centre for theological, cultural and academic studies and this involves renovating the old, historic building, making it a point of reference for Orthodoxy and Culture.
HGM Vatopaidi is looking to promote the Athoniada School as a centre for study and research and our institute is assisting in this effort. The Athoniada School will be home to many-faceted educational programmes in the fields of theology, art, culture, the environment and the sciences.