This a print af the Russian settlement of Thebais one of the first real interesting sites you will see when sailing by ferry to Dafni. The image dates from 1882 and it is probably part fiction. But if you look close to the photo I took in 2009, you will see that the coastal house on the far right is quite similar to the one on this old print. Once, it is said that, 200 monks were living here. According to the amount of buildings you see, this is quite possible.
In reality the buildings (now partly ruins) are situated little higher on the hill . But the long (boat)house is the same as on the old image, even the amount of windows is matching. I would be interesting to take a look but is not easy accesible because the ferry won’t stop here.
The last pictures is made after the 2012 fires.
hv
The individual in the photograph is not Tsar Nicholas II, he may be some other monarch, but I can assure you that is not him.
Alex, I have to admit that I already had my doubts, because tsar Nicolas II looks slightly different on pictures I found on the internet. I also wondered if the tsar would have any time left to go Athos in 1906, because it were troubled times in Russia that year (problems with the doema). The question remains: who could be this man ?
Perhaps Czar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria?
Herman, great idea to start a Athos visit in Thebais (and after that a visit to the vineyards of Monoxylitis !) see http://www.monoxilitis.com/.
Does anyone ever started their pilgrimage in Thibais? how can we make this happen ?
Wim
I think it should be fairly easy.. Just ask the captain to make a stop in Thebais. There is a perfectly good dock there.. Perhaps the waters may be too shallow for the ferry, but for the smaller speedboat it shouldn’t be a problem.
Dear Herman and Wim, I am Armando Santarelli,from Italy. I know both Thivais and Monoxylitis, and I tell you that they are two wonderful, solitary places. Thivais has one of the best view of Athos, with all the gulf and the Holy Mountain in front. There are six Russian monks in Thivais, they are very sincere and serious people. For Monoxylitis, ask of Jakobos Aghiografos in the shop Monoxylitis in Ouranoupolis. Monoxylitis is simply a little treasure placed in the middle of the wonderful, savage nature of Athos. There you will find two workers, Panagiotis and Babi, very nice people, but they don’t know a word of English!
Of course, you will find surprises there, but I don’t want to anticipate you what they are.
Let me know something about your new trip in Athos. I will be there in the first week of June.
Armando.
I have read your contribution about Thivais on the Internet.I have in addition questions:
Do the monks of Thivais also take up non-orthodox guests? Do you have phone-number or e-mail from Thivais? (Do the monks English speak?). Does the driving of Ouranoupolis hold in zhe landing stage in Thivais?
I thank for your answer.
Greetings
Erich Diefenbach, Stuttgart/Ostfildern, Germany
Here again is my question, which I addressed to you before, which I have left without answer:
Take the monks of the Skiti Thibais guests, how is their telephone number and hold the ferry from Ouranoupolis?
Wim, seen on the website: http://www.monoxilitis.com/:
“The Holy Epistasy, executive council of Mount Athos’ Community, gave us permission to use our small boat for our necessary transportations from Ouranoupolis to metohi and when the weather allows us to, we can anchor to our coast, known as “Three brothers” (named from the three rocks which are similar to each other and come out the sea). This can happen though, only with three people, maximum for every time”.
Dear Friends,
here is Jakobos from the metoki St. Nicholas in Monoxilitis.
It will be a pleasure to guest you in our metoki. If you like to visit us, please contact me by email.
We wish to all our friends Holy Christmas and a new yoear 2012 full of health, armony and…patience.
Dear Erich, reaching Thibais by phone or email is difficult, I do not have any information in my archive. Maybe other readers can help? The same counts for your other questions: if non-orthodox are allowed to go there and if the speak any English, I do not know. I do know that none of the regular boats from Ouranopolis stop at Thibais, but on the other hand, I didn’t ask the company or the captain. Renting a expensive taxi boat would be the only solution to go there. Please let me know if find how to Thibais, it would be interesting for our readers to share this! Good luck!
Wim
When I visited Athos in 2012, the speedboat Sophia did stop at the arsanas of Nea Thebaïs. After my opinion, you can always ask the captain to dock there. By the way, the picture of 1882 is in fact not fictional. Probably it represents the design of how it should have been . As you can read in the book of Graham Speake, above the skiti (kella) itself on the sloop of the hill there are many small buildings. But I think much must have been destroyed by the fire of 2012.
Dear Herman and Wim, I stoped by boat and visit Nea Tivaida, than Agios Nikolaos, Monoxility (Agis Vasilios, Anargiri, Mavro siko,…). First, I asked the police for permission. Monk Jakobos from the metoki St. Nicholas in Monoxilitis is reposed.
It is only possible to go to Thebais by watertaxi (rather expensive). Thebais dont have guestrooms yet. They are building rooms in the house with the red roof at sea.