1091 – Dionysiou: graveyard/ossuary (day 2 -11)

IMG_3509 Dionysiou ossuarium
The ossuarium of Dionysiou, where they keep the bones of the deceased monks

IMG_3512 Dionysiou ossuarium detail
It looks like space is running out …..

IMG_3507 Dionysiou skulls1
There is room left in this part of the building, where skulls are piled up. Some of the skulls have the name of the monk written on their forehead.

IMG_3519 Dionysiou skulls2
IMG_3518 Dionysiou cemetary
The cemetary of Dionysiou with graves. Lack of space forces the monasteries to dig up the skeletons after a couple of years and they put the bones and the skulls in the ossuary. It also gives the monks a possibility to check if the dead monk maybe led a holy life during his stay on earth, because if the bones look yellow and if they smell sweet, the deceased monk must have been a saint!

IMG_3517 Dionysiou cemetary
The cemetary and the way back to the monastery

IMG_3514 Dionysiou a grave
A grave of a monk, just before dusk.

Wim Voogd, 26/7

This entry was posted in 05 Dionysiou, trip 2009: Wim's group and tagged . Bookmark the permalink.

1 Response to 1091 – Dionysiou: graveyard/ossuary (day 2 -11)

  1. Wim: I'll be on holiday for 3 weeks: until the 23th of august! says:

    !!

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