A Pilgrimage of Peace, Simplicity and Stillness: The Life-Changing Journey of 27 Pilgrims
6 days. 144 hours. Endless reflection.
This past December, 27 young adults and members of the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Boston journeyed to Mt. Athos, as part of a pilgrimage of faith. Thanks to the dedication, friendship and collaboration of His Eminence Metropolitan Methodios of Boston and Barnabas of Neapolis and Stavroupolis, the pilgrims were extended incredible hospitality at the Monastery of Xenophontos as they were immersed in the monastic life, all while uniquely connecting to their faith.
From December 30, 2024 — January 4, 2025, the pilgrims experienced the stillness and heavenly nature of the Holy Mountain as they visited monasteries, participated in services and were treated to beautiful conversations with the Holy Fathers.
Before the journey, if you had told any of them they would have been living a monastic life and developing a deeper connection with God, all at the Holy Mountain, most of them would have looked the other way. However, after six days of experiencing the meaningful nature of the monastic life, the pilgrims have been armed with spiritual tools that will last a lifetime.
“This experience was nothing short of life-changing. It reminded me of the importance of gratitude, the strength found in faith and the incredible value of community,” said one of the pilgrims, Yianni Barbas.
Agion Oros — The Garden of the Panagia
(Holy Monastery of Xenophontos | Source)
Projecting from the Macedonia Region of Greece into the Aegean Sea, Mt. Athos is considered the spiritual center of Greek Orthodoxy. At 30 miles long and 6.5 miles wide, the peninsula is considered a semiautonomous republic consisting of 20 monasteries and roughly 2,000 monks.
Its history dates back to at least 800 A.D. during the Byzantine Era and the pilgrims got to witness some of this century-old history through the art and traditions of the monasteries.
“I could feel a shift from the chaotic atmosphere the real world provided to an aura of calmness, silence, and love for life overcome me,” said Nick Antonakas, another pilgrim on the journey. “There was barely any technology, cars, or most importantly, real-world problems at Mount Athos.”
During their stay, the pilgrims were hosted at the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos, located on the Southwestern side of the peninsula, and home to many friends of the Metropolis of Boston. The pilgrims stayed here for the duration of their journey, although they visited other monasteries including Pantokratoros, Iviron and Simonos Petras.
A Home Away From Home
(Holy Monastery of Xenophontos | Source)
The Holy Monastery of Xenophontos dates back to the end of the 10th century when St. Xenophon, a contemporary of Athanassios of Athos, founded the community. It is now home to over 60 monks and one of the largest Katholikon of all the Athos monasteries. Among the many relics kept in the monastery are pieces of the Holy Cross and an icon of St. George the Trophy-Bearer, which washed up on its shore in the late 10th century.
During the iconoclast period, this icon was burned and speared, but nothing seemed to damage the depiction of St. George. Finally, it was dumped into the Sea of Marma near Constantinople and washed up next to Xenophontos completely intact. To this day, it sits in the main church and is seen as a miracle-working icon.
(Resting Site of the Miracle-Working Icon of St. George | Source)
It’s stories such as this that the pilgrims were privy to during their stay. Whether it was miracle-working icons, relics of Saints or stories of extreme faith from the monks, the pilgrimage was set to be a life-changing experience for the whole group.
Upon arrival to Xenophontos, the group was welcomed into the archontariki, or guest house, and treated to tea and an overview of how their stay would look. Everyone would have the opportunity to live as the monks do and engage in spiritual dialogue on a nightly basis with many of the Holy Fathers. Whether it was attending church at 2:00 am, eating in silence to appreciate the food God had granted or engaging in daily diakonia projects, the group was able to mentally leave the world behind and experience what true spiritual dedication means.
Throughout the next several days, every pilgrim experienced the ascetic life in their own way. While many felt anxious upon arrival, as the days passed, everyone succeeded in living their faith and engaging in the monastic life. One of the pilgrims, Antoni Ioakimidis, described his experience as “spiritually fulfilling” as he further sought to develop his connection with Christ.
“On Mount Athos, you don’t sleep much, but you’re never tired. You don’t eat as much, but you are never hungry. Christ fills those voids, and by being ‘spiritually full,’ worldly things such as lack of sleep or hunger do not affect the body,” Antoni said.
Living Monastically
Spiritual fulfillment was felt by many of the pilgrims and it was in part due to the incredible kerasma, or hospitality, of everyone on the Holy Mountain. The monks did not seem the least bit bothered by the presence of a large group. In fact, they had the group participate in the liturgy and assist with their daily diakonia; they even took time out of their routine to engage in spiritual discussions nightly with the group.
Nicholas Archambault, another pilgrim, reflected on his experience in speaking with the monks nightly, calling it an incredible blessing.
“Being able to talk to a new monk every night, listening to their wisdom and their advice was such a blessing,” Archambault said. “We had the opportunity to freely ask them any questions, and they responded with such grace and truth.”
For all of the pilgrims, a typical day on the mountain looked like the following:
- 1:30 am = Wake Up
- 2:00 am = Morning Hours + Orthros + Liturgy
- 6:00 am = Rest
- 8:00 am = Paraklesis
- 9:00 am = First Meal
- 9:30 am — 4:00 pm = Diakonia
- 4:00 pm = Vespers
- 5:00 pm = Second Meal
- 5:30 pm = Compline
- 6:30 pm = Nightly Discussion
- 8:00 pm = Bedtime
Whether it was chanting the Cherubic Hymn during the liturgy, shining dozens of kandili during the day or asking difficult spiritual questions during the nightly discussion, the pilgrims got a glimpse of what unceasing love looks like. This love was constant and always centered around Christ and many of the pilgrims were taken aback by the complete selflessness of the Holy Fathers and other pilgrims.
“In life, we often do things in exchange for something in return, but here, there was no expectation of reciprocity,” said Antoni. “ The monks’ love and hospitality flowed constantly in one direction, regardless of who the person was or their background.”
Spiritual Excursions
(Holy Monastery of Iviron | Source)
While the experience at Xenophontos was impactful, the group also was blessed with experiencing other monasteries and their gifts. During their stay, they visited the Holy Monasteries of Pantokratoros, Iviron, Simonos Petras and the capital city of Karyes.
Their first stops were the Holy Monasteries of Pantokratoros and Iviron where the group witnessed many blessings. In the Katholikon of Pantokratoros is a portable icon of the Virgin Mary called the “Gerontissa,” believed to work many miracles, along with a piece of the shield of St. Mercurios. Similarly, at the Holy Monastery of Iviron, the group bore witness to incredible architecture and smaller chapels that date back thousands of years.
Between these two monasteries, the pilgrims traveled to the capital city of Karyes and witnessed the ever-blessed icon of the Theotokos, Axion Estin. Taking its name from the hymn sung during the epiklesis of Divine Liturgy, this icon has worked miracles since it washed up on the shores of Mt. Athos in the 7th century.
This and many other icons and relics were venerated by the pilgrims including the hand of Mary Magdeline at the Holy Monastery of Simonos Petras. Standing almost 1000 feet above sea level, this monastery dates back to the 13th century and is one of the more widely known monasteries on the Holy Mountain. The pilgrims were blessed to experience the hospitality of the monks there and bear witness to its incredible Katholikon.
(Holy Monastery of Simonos Petras | Source)
Each of these excursions left its mark on each pilgrim. Even after having left the mountain, many were still in awe of what they saw. Specifically after visiting the Holy Monastery of Simonos Petras, Niko Lazouras reflected on his experience with a full heart.
“Seeing the grandeur of Simenopetra was truly breathtaking,” Lazouras said. “Only with the glory of God would it be possible to complete something so magnificent in the year it was built.”
Continuous Hospitality
(The Pilgrims at the Metropolis Philoxenia House | Source)
Even after the pilgrims left the Holy Mountain, they continued to experience incredible hospitality. Thanks to the efforts of His Eminence Metropolitan Barnabas, the group was shown around the city of Thessaloniki and other religious sites.
Further blessings were experienced as the group was able to be in the city for the feast celebration of Theophany, or the Baptism of Christ, and St. John the Baptist. In addition, they were given a tour of the Metropolis headquarters and attended many services celebrated by His Eminence. Whether it was the food served, the smiles given or the genuine nature of everyone involved, the pilgrims were overblown by the immense hospitality of everyone involved in making their stay truly one-of-a-kind.
On the last day of their stay, the group was blessed to visit Souroti where the Holy St. Paisios the Athonite is buried. They were able to venerate the tomb and even speak to many of the nuns to hear about the life of the recently canonized saint.
Bringing Mt. Athos Back Home
(View from the Holy Monastery of Xenophontos | Source)
To many, this journey was about finding peace on Earth. One of the pilgrims, James Stamoulis, reflected on his journey by elaborating on what he plans on taking from the Holy Mountain back to his school and his life in the United States.
“Mount Athos is truly the most peaceful place on earth,” Stamoulis said. “Now, being back in the real world, I recognize it is time to armor up with the spiritual knowledge and wisdom we were blessed to be given and spread God’s light in places of darkness.”
It is nearly impossible to sum up the experience of each pilgrim in simple words. This pilgrimage was personal to each involved and nothing can be generally summarized. The peace, simplicity and stillness of the Holy Mountain were familiar for some, foreign to others, but impactful to all.
Photos: Niko Lazouras (@lazourasphotography)
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