Redoubt of the reclusive, Simonos Petras monastery was founded in 1257 more than 800 feet above the Aegean Sea.

Alert: JavaScript must be enabled for this site to function properly.

Please check your browser settings to be sure it is enabled. Also check your security settings. On some browsers, high security settings will disable JavaScript.

National Geographic Prints Store

20% off Fine Art Prints and Photography! Use code NGP2

Buy Prints

Would you like to subscribe?

Redoubt of the reclusive, Simonos Petras monastery was fo...

This is for display only! This is NOT the actual print, you will receive!

Hallway Office Wall Living Room Lounge Red Stucco Wall

Redoubt of the reclusive, Simonos Petras monastery was founded in 1257 more than 800 feet above the Aegean Sea.

Travis Dove/National Geographic Image Collection

1271000

Redoubt of the reclusive, Simonos Petras monastery was founded in 1257 more than 800 feet above the Aegean Sea.

Any copyright watermarks shown above do NOT appear on prints. The image above is for display purposes only and may appear blurry on your screen. Actual prints are made from high-resolution files for perfect reproduction.

Solitary Father Seraphim walks miles from his hermitage to this small hut, where he works packing honey from a nearby apiary into jars.

A trinity of sun, sky, and sea paints an inspiring backdrop for the Xenofontos monastery.

The semiautonomous peninsula of Mount Athos in Northern Greece is the spiritual center of the Eastern Orthodox church. Monasteries and Cloisters began appearing within its 130 square miles during the 9th century. Since 1045 women have been prohibited from entering the territory as a sign of respect for the Virgin Mary, after whom the peninsula is dedicated.

The Axion Esti processsion in Karyes begins and ends at the Protaton, the oldest chuch in Mount Athos which dates back to the 9th century. The procession stops at a representative cell for each monastary around the captial city of Mount Athos. This litany is the largest in Mount Athos. The icon being venerated is also called the Axion Esti.

View Gallery

4 Photos

National Geographic Prints Store

National Geographic Society