Vatopedi Monastery (Athos)

thumb|left|The Monastery
The Monastery of Vatopedi (or Vatopaidi), (Greek: Βατοπέδι or Βατοπαίδι) is one of twenty monasteries on the Mount Athos peninsula and is located on the northeastern side of the peninsula. It operates as a coenobitic monastery(a communal monastic community). As of 1999, it is inhabited by 80 monks and is second in hierarchical rank among the monasteries of the mountain. 
==History==
Some sources associate the name of "Vatopedi" with the flora of the surrounding countryside (vatos = shrub, pedion = plain or ground);The monastery of Vatopedi others point to a traditional story in which Emperor Arcadius built the monastery to honor the saving of his son from shipwreck by the Theotokos; the child was found in a bush (vato = brier, paidi = child).
The monastery was founded in 972 AD by three monks: Athanasius, Nicholas, and Antonius, who were students of St. Anthanasius of Lavra. The major parts of the monastery were constructed either during the Byzantine period or later, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when building reached its peak. The monastery is monumental in size, with a tall wall in which the buildings are placed in triangular form. 
==Main buildings ==
*The katholikon was built in the tenth century in the Athonite style. It is dedicated to the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The katholikon still retains some mosaics from the Byzantine period. There are nineteen chapels in and around the monastery proper, with five within the katholikon. 
*The Trapeza
*The Byzantine period clock tower
*The north-east tower which houses the monastery library (10th century)
==Sketes of Vatopedi==
*The Greek skete of St. Demetrios
:The skete of St. Demetrios belongs to the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi and is a Greek idiorrhythmic skete, resembling a settlement and consists of 21 kalyvae, most of which are now in ruins. It is located in the mountains; a half hour walking distance from the Vatopedi monastery and has been operating as a skete since the 18th century. The "Kyriakon" is dedicated to St. Demetrios. It was built in the 12th century; it was renovated and later expanded and was frescoed in 1755.
*The Russian skete of St. Andrew in Karyes (or Serrai)Macedonian Heritage
:The Russian skete of St. Andrew is a huge building complex located on the road that connects Karyes with Daphne and follows a classic architectural paradigm of Athonian monasteries, i.e., it is surrounded by tall buildings overlooking an internal court. 
:It is called a skete because, according to the customs and the statute of Mount Athos, it is not possible to found new monasteries, besides the ones of the Byzantine era. It was built with the financial sponsorship of the Russian Czars, and many Russian monks practiced ascetic life here. Indeed, just before World War I, the skete was inhabited by approximately 700 monks. Nowadays five Greek monks reside here and have taken upon them to revive the skete and deal with the preservation of the icons and the maintenance of the premises.
:The central church of the skete was built in 1867. It is the largest church on Athos, rising to 30m in height and extending to 60m in length. The relics of St. Andrew are kept in the interior of the church.
==Monastery treasures==
In addition to many relics, the monastery possesses a library of over 10,000 printed books and about 1,700 manuscripts.
==Iconography==
There are a number of miracle-working icons in the monastery. The best-known icons are:
*Panagia Pantanassa, the "Queen of All"
*Panagia Paramythea
*Panagia Esfagmeni
*Panagia Elaoivritissa
*Panagia Pyrovolitheisa
*Panagia Ktitorissa the Vymatarissa
==Saints==
List of "Vatopaidi" saints:
* St. Joachim of Vatopaidi (John Patrikios, 1786-1868), known as "o Papoulakis" or "the Ithakian"; not to be confused with monk Christopher (Panagiotopoulos) known as "o Papoulakos" (1770-1861) or Evgenios from Tripopotama.
==Reference==
==External links==
*Athos monasteries
*Greek Ministry of Culture
*Macedonian Heritage
Category:Monasteries
Category:Greek Monasteries
Category:Athonite Monasteries
el:Ιερά Μονή Βατοπαιδίου
fr:Monastère de Vatopedi
ro:Mănăstirea Vatopedi (Muntele Athos)