2057 – Xenofontos, a photo survey within the monastery, part 1

Let’s take a closer look within the monastery, starting at the entrance (Δ1 on the Mylonas map above). You will arrive in the first courtyard (A).

The entrance, seen from the first courtyard (photo is shot near spot M4)
The guesthouse

After passing the entrance you will find the archondariki or guesthouse on your right hand. In former days the guesthouse was situated in building Z2, K and K1, but it has been replaced to this part of the monastery, building H. The stairs and plants were added later and not drawn on the Mylonas-plan from 2000. The building was previous used by monks, who had their cells here.

These pictures are from the waiting room, where coffee, tsipourou (?) and loukoumi is served. Tow fine icons of Ag. Georgios and Dimitrios hang on the wall. In left a corner you will a small chapel behind closed doors.

View from the balcony of the waiting room
the balcony, later that evening
The guesthouse: a picture of a monk-beekeeper in the hallway
View from the guesthouse on the first courtyard and the old church: the kitchens are the building on the left.
Courtyard A: a fountain, a bell and the old church – katholicon
A wing of cells
The old katholicon – on the right the passage to the second courtyard (B) and on the left the corridor that leads to the trapeza and exo-narthex with its murals
The wall of the church: original brickwork and part of a mural
Courtyard A: an old iscription bricked-in in a wall
First part of the portico: Saints. Angels and the Panaghia with Child. The door leads to the church.
Left from the door: mural with nine Saints: in the middle Dimitrios and Georgios
the scenes with Ag. gerasimos and the lion and his donkey

These images above the door shows us rarely seen scenes from Ag. Gerasimos (or St. Hieromymus), who lived from 347 to 30th September 420, one of the four great church Fathers.

This is the story depicted on the walls: Gerasimos helped a lion to remove thorns from its paw and after this, to his surprize, the lion became his devoted pet. The lion was given the special task of guarding the communities donkey, which grazed along the Jordan. One day, it happened that, while the lion was napping, the donkey strayed and was stolen by a passing trader. After searching, without success, the lion returned to the monastery, it head hanging low. The brothers concluded that the lion had been overcome and had eaten the donkey and as punishment, gave the lion the job of the donkey; to carry water each from the river to the monastery in a saddle pack with four earthen jars. Months later, it happened that the trader was passing through the Jordan with the stolen donkey and three camels. The lion recognised the donkey and roared so loudly that the trader ran away. Taking its rope in his jaws, the lion led the donkey back to the monastery with the camels following behind. The monks realised that they had misjudged the lion; this is how the lion earned his name “Jordanes” from the Elder Gerasimos.

A detail of the (badly damaged) scene on the left: the traders who stole the camels, the lion and, in the right corner, the donkey

The next room or exo-narthex, that gives access to both the old church and the trapeza. The scenes resemble the ones in Dionysiou: all are from the book of John and show us the cyclus of the Apocalypse. For an extensive description of the scenes read these posts, starting at nr. 1100.

The wooden ceiling
The door to the trapeza
The trapeza during dinner on 18-09-2018: a bulgarian photographer was allowed to make pictures during the meal, we were also present (thanks http://www.afon-balkani.org)
The stairs that lead to the trapeza
A detail of the mural on the wall left: some say the image of the sun with smoke is a prediction of the “atomic” bomb. Read more in post 1126.
More scenes from chapter 8 of the Apocalypse of St. John
I turned my camera to the right and made a photo of the lower section of the next wall: also scenes from the  Apocalypse of St. John
the higher section of this wall
The door that leads to courtyard B.
Right to this door: a very different scene, the Crucifiction of Jesus In Golgotha (badly damaged)
The door to the old church
The scenes left from the door: The top scene is from John 16:13: And I saw from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.  
Below is also from chapter 13 of St. Johns Apocalypse: “of the beast with seven heads and of a second beast”. He says in verse 2: “And the beast which I saw was like to a leopard: and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion” (more info here 1103).
Scene right from the door: the church is presented to an emperor (and his wife) ?
On the right: an angel fighting a demon or devil. On the left a city is painted with a stranger being in the air: read more about these scenes here: 1100
three Saints

Wim Voogd, 27-06 (next time more photos from courtyard B)

This entry was posted in 16 Xenofontos, Trip 2018 and tagged , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Leave a Reply