Plan of the monastery from 1980

In 2017 we slept in one of the older parts of the monastery archondariki, building H – left SW corner, that has not been renovated yet.The stairs to the archontarikiAn original balcony on the first floor (in the SW corner at B)Corner B on the plan above: seen from the stairs. The chapel on the right on the upper floor is dedicated to Ag. Theodori, below it is the chapel of Ag. Minás. The chimneys are also visible on this picture from Cas Oorthuys, made in 1957: The Vatopedi courtyard, with the church of the Holy Girdle on the left. The building in the middle is for food storage.The SW corner – on the left a covered cysterne. The red chapel on the right is for Agii Anargyri – Cosmas & Damian – two Arab physicians, reputedly twin brothers, and early Christian martyrs, who accepted no payment for their services, led to them being named Anargyroi (from the Greek Ανάργυροι, “the silverless” or “Unmercenaries”).Inside the archontaraki: a small kitchen for coffeea long corridor with empty iron bedsAnother corridor in the guest house, with an original stone floor view from a balcony on the first floorPilgrims and monks A renovated part of the South wingThe clock tower and katholiconUnder the eaves of the tower of the Katholikon is set a new (?) smaller size clock with Roman numerals. Beside it an exotic male figure with a red hat, a scimitar sword, a large moustache and in a Turkish dress with a green cloak, called the “Negro”(because of the black color?), who strikes the bell with a hammer and rings the hours.  The clock itself has been replaced many times, this the one  I saw in 1980.and here a picture from the internet, with another type of clock – a more simple version.The Eye of Providence (or the all-seeing eye of God), representing the eye of God watching over humanity on top the Vatopedi katholiconThe trapeza of VatopediThe entrance door to the trapezaAbove the door: a lamp with a martinA window of the katholiconBehind the katholicon: a courtyard (building K), where sheets hang to dry.The North side of the katholiconThe same spot 21 years ago, in 1997, when minister Venezilos Evangelos visited VatopediThe grave of Elder Joseph, who died in 2009 and lived 63 years on the Holy Mountain. Not many monks obtain the honor to be buried inside the walls of the monastery.A marble plaque in the wall of the katholiconThe heating for the church from 1909The clock tower of the katholicon and the bellfry, where the antique books are stored.

Wim Voogd, 29-7