This time we will have a closer look at the pictures I already showed in blog 646. As I told before, the (hundreds of) pictures of Athos shot by Cas Oorthuys are still hidden in the archives of the National Photo Museum in Rotterdam and are not easy obtainable, so I am proud that I found a few of them and that I can show them to you.

“Lonelyness, quietness, rocks and monasteries that look like castles, that is what Athos is”: picture by A. den Doolaard, 1959

“Two precious, very old icons from the treasury of a monastery” (probably from Vatopediou), picture by Cas Oorthuys 1959

“In the contemplative monasteries the household is done by “the lesser monks”, novices and brothers”. Here you can see three monks, a layman and young novice (beardless!), who peal beans (?), place on Athos unknown – picture by A. den Doolaard, 1959

“On mountain paths you sometimes can find signs with a hand pointing the right direction on a juncture” – picture Cas Oorthuys, 1959

“The monastery Vatopediou: the courtyard. On the right the main church, the Katholikon”. picture by Cas Oorthuys, 1959

“The monastery Vatopediou: the interiour of the main church” – picture by Cas Oorthuys, 1959

“A homeless beggar-monk strawling through the streets of Karyes” – picture by Cas Oorthuys, 1959

“Brother Miron talking to his friend from the Bulgarian monastery Zografou” – in a kellion near Karyes: picture by Cas Oorthuys, 1959

“His favorite animal is a ram. Female creatures are not allowed on the Holy Mountain”– picture by Cas Oorthuys, 1959

“Some monks live outside the society of the monastery on small farms” – Brother Miron attending his garden- picture by Cas Oorthys, 1959

“A fisherman brought us in his little boat to the first monastery and a joyfull monk” – picture by Cas Oorthuys, 1959

“Every day eight hours of prayer, reading texts and meditation” – brother Miron inside his kellion: a “Rembrandt-like” picture of Cas Oorthuys, 1959

Wim, 18/12