A new update of post 1835: Thanks to the help of Japetus I can publish the new regulations for making a reservation, see post 1835. I will try to find out if the new rules also apply for foreigners:
According to the owner of Hotel Akrogiali in Ouranopolis the old regulations again apply, so it is possible to walk from monastery to monastery again (info 28-7-2022)!
Japetus informed us that foreign visitors currently can make s reservation THREE months before arrival instead of six months.
Yves Milonas informs us that a lot of monasteries are still very afraid, ea Vatopedi admit you only on the first day of your visit and with a negatif Covid test proof. Vatopedi and Xenofondos now use a web application to register and ask for overnight stay. Some monasteries just answer politly that they don’t have any places free.
Time to make plans for a pilgrimage in 2023 (or this year ofcourse)!
Wim, 28/7
Foreign visitors can currently make a reservation three months only before arrival instead of six months that used to be before. Otherwise the procedure is the same.
We are busy now to plan a pilgrimage 3th week of September.
Thessaloniki is easy = 3 months prior to arrival.
A lot of monasteries are still very afraid…. ea Vatopedi admit you only on the first day of your visit and with a negatif Covid test proof.
Vatopedi and Xenofondos now use a web application to register and ask for overnight stay.
Some monasteries just answer politly that they don’t have any places free.
I am planning a trip to Mount Athos for late October. The diamonitirion was granted immediately by the Mount Athos Pilgrims’ Bureau in Thessaloniki when I applied three months in advance (the maximum). I had emailed them four months in advance, and they told me it was too early. They were prompt, courteous, and efficient, always replying within 30 minutes.
However, making reservations for accomodation has proved to be a challenge, since many are still hesitant to accept new pilgrims. The monastery hostels are still technically open, but they are not accepting random new pilgrims en masse like before the pandemic. Mount Athos does things completely differently from the rest of secular Greece, so any developments in COVID restrictions being lifted in Greece will not take place at Mount Athos.
I have called several different monasteries and gotten different responses.
Great Lavra and Simonopetra both told me via email that they are currently not accepting pilgrims. Simonopetra said that it is not possible for the “forseeable future”, and Great Lavra told me to email them again one month in advance to check again. Simonopetra replied within one hour, and Great Lavra replied in a few days. Also, Simonopetra said that they can take reservations only
Xenophontos has an online registration portal that is currently working: https://filoxenia.imxenophontos.gr/reservations/login/en
Vatopedi also has an online registration portal, but it is currently not working at the time of posting (9 August 2022): https://hospitality.vatopedi.gr/reservations/login.aspx
Agiou Pavlou Monastery did not answer the telephone but said that they can be reached from 11 am to 1 pm, Monday to Friday (a recorded voice message only in Greek).
Skiti Agia Anna (Saint Anne Skete) said that they can be reached from 9 am to 12 pm, Monday to Friday. They also did not reply to my telephone calls.
I think it would be a good idea to tell the monasteries that you are extremely careful with not catching COVID or monkeypox, have done limited traveling, and can show proof of vaccination. Hospitality reservations can be done at some monasteries and sketes, but will require a lot of perseverence this year.
Pilgrims should also obtain a negative PCR test at the Ouranoupoli Medical Center – http://www.vipdoctor.gr/ – the day before (or on) their entry to Mount Athos, just to be safe.
* Also, Simonopetra said that they can take reservations only by email and fax, but not via telephone.
I am planning a trip to Mount Athos for late October. The diamonitirion was granted immediately by the Mount Athos Pilgrims’ Bureau in Thessaloniki when I applied three months in advance (the maximum). I had emailed them four months in advance, and they told me it was too early. They were prompt, courteous, and efficient, always replying within 30 minutes.
However, making reservations for accomodation has proved to be a challenge, since many are still hesitant to accept new pilgrims. The monastery hostels are still technically open, but they are not accepting random new pilgrims en masse like before the pandemic. Mount Athos does things completely differently from the rest of secular Greece, so any developments in COVID restrictions being lifted in Greece will not take place at Mount Athos.
I have called several different monasteries and gotten different responses.
Great Lavra and Simonopetra both told me via email that they are currently not accepting pilgrims. Simonopetra said that it is not possible for the “forseeable future”, and Great Lavra told me to email them again one month in advance to check again. Simonopetra replied within one hour, and Great Lavra replied in a few days. Also, Simonopetra said that they can take reservations only by email and fax, but not via telephone.
Xenophontos has an online registration portal that is currently working: https://filoxenia.imxenophontos.gr/reservations/login/en
Vatopedi also has an online registration portal, but it is currently not working at the time of posting (9 August 2022): https://hospitality.vatopedi.gr/reservations/login.aspx
Agiou Pavlou Monastery did not answer the telephone but said that they can be reached from 11 am to 1 pm, Monday to Friday (a recorded voice message only in Greek).
Skiti Agia Anna (Saint Anne Skete) said that they can be reached from 9 am to 12 pm, Monday to Friday. They also did not reply to my telephone calls.
I think it would be a good idea to tell the monasteries that you are extremely careful with not catching COVID or monkeypox, have done limited traveling, and can show proof of vaccination. Hospitality reservations can be done at some monasteries and sketes, but will require a lot of perseverence this year.
Pilgrims should also obtain a negative PCR test at the Ouranoupoli Medical Center – http://www.vipdoctor.gr/ – the day before (or on) their entry to Mount Athos, just to be safe.