We did not plan to stay in Karakalou during our 2014 trip to Athos, but because of a change of plans we ended up returning to this beautifull monastery. At first the Greek archondaris was not very pleased to see us coming without a reservation, but with the help of the Dutch Karakalou monk Pachomios things worked out fine and we got a lovely room. That afternoon I visited the deserted kelli of Onoufriou (see 1672 ..).Pachomios working in the garden 4/9/2014 (look at his pocket: here he keeps a Greek-Dutch dictonary, to translate from Greek in Dutch if neccesary).The Karakalou trapeza, before breakfast . The room is not decorated, but there are some large icons on the wall and at the end, under the absis where the abbot sits, there is a (new) fresco of the Last Supper. Here the 12 disciples – including Judas – do not have aureole’s.

Early morning: sunset over KarakalouOn your right, next to the gardens, is the graveyard and ossuary of KarakalouThe graveyardThe chapel in the graveyard: below the chapel you canfind the ossuary, with the first morning light shining inThe skulls of Karakalou monks (pictures by Jitze Bakker)A fragment of a fresco lies on the pavement……In front of the chapel, with a bench made in my year of birth, 1957.The wall beside the graveyard: two large cypress trees: in the background the recently build chapel on the other side of the valleyThe new chapelThe phiale, looking to the south towards the mountainThe mountain covered in cloudsArsanas KarakalouThe bell tower, with the large bronze bell from the nearby Timiou Stavrou kelli

The courtyard/guesthouse, with the typical Karakalou architectureLarge pottery in a dark passage near the winecellarInside the monastery on a wall: an inscription in stone from 1707

Wim Voogd, 25/5 (more Karakalou pictures? have a look here)