The Holy Monastery of Zographou (Greek: Ζωγράφου; Bulgarian: Зограф) is located on the southwestern side of the Athos Peninsula in northern Greece. The monastery is dedicated to St. George. According to tradition, the monastery was founded during the tenth century by three Bulgarian brothers, the monks Moses, Aaron, and John from Ohrid. While the monastery initially was inhabited by Bulgarian, Greek, and Serbian monks, since 1845 the monks are only of Bulgarian background…

The earliest written evidence of the monastery’s existence dates from 980. During the Middle Ages, the monastery was generously supported by the Bulgarian rulers, such as Ivan Asen II and Ivan Alexander, since it was a matter of pride for the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to maintain a monastery on Athos. The Zographou Monastery has also received land endowments by Byzantine (the first donor being Leo VI the Wise) and Serbian rulers.

The Zographou Monastery was plundered and burnt down by Crusaders, working under orders from the Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos, in 1275, resulting in the death of 26 monks. Their martyrdom is commemorated annually on October 10 (October 23 on the Gregorian Calendar) throughout the Eastern Orthodox Church, together with the wonder-working icon of the Theotokos “Of the Akathist”.

In the photo report you will see another wonder-working icon of Saint George, the patron saint of the monastery, icon which mysteriously painted itself on the prepared board.

The images show also the footpath from Vatopaidi to Zographou.

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