Saturday moring, the 6th of August, a fire broke out in the olive orchard near Arsanas Konstamonitou / the cell of Agiou Pantes, where persumeably somebody wanted to burn some branches. The latest news of today is that the fire in under control due to hard work of monks and fireman, who extinguished the fire. For more information look here (Vimas Orthodoxias in Greek).
Wim Voogd, 7-8
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Athos – Agion Oros
Dear Wim,
Can I share with you my plans for Athos and ask you if it is realistic or not?
And a few questions (I will be with my two boys 15 and 16) and I need to plan a bit.
We will be on the Holy Mountain between 18 and 21 August.
We are invited on the monastery of Pantocrator but we would like to celebrate the transfiguration liturgy on the top of the mountain on the feast day 19th. My plan would be to take the ship from Ouranopoli to Daphne on
18/8 and then the second ship to Ag Anna if possible. Or is it better directly to take a bus or taxi from Karyès to Ag. Anna?
So the question is : on 19th we will leave Ag. Anna very early and climb the mountain and after the liturgy on the top we walk back not to Ag Anna but to Karyès or to Pantocrator where we are invited. Is it a long way ? how many hours?
We will call Ag Anna in any case. What is the best time to call them?
Conclusion: Our priorities are two:
– liturgy on the mountain on 19
– spend time with our friend in Pantocrator before and certainly after this liturgy on the mountain.
Sounds realistic or it is too much?
Many many thanks!
Serge Whatsapp 0032 475936641
Hi Serge,
Question 1: you cannot reach Pantocratoros by boat if you leave from Ouranoplis. This monastery lies on the Eastern coast, so if you want to take a boat to Pantocratoros, you’ll have to leave from Ierissos (mind you that the boat from here do not always sail to Iviron and do not go further then Vatopedi, it depends on the number of visitors and the weather). So most pilgrims leave by boat from Ouranopolis at 9.45 h (Panteleimonos 00302377 071149 – info@agioreitikes-grammes.com) and take the bus from Dafni to Karyes. From there you can reach Pantocratoros in 1,5 hours hiking, but taking a taxi is quicker. This should be day 1: 18 of August.
Question 2: it is realistic to reach Skiti Anna/the top the next day, 19-8, but it is very difficult. First of all, because there is no ferry from Pantocratoros to skiti Anna. What you could try is leave early in the morning from Pantocratoros and take a taxi to Karyes, then directly by car to Dafni and take the ferry at 12.30 h (?) to skiti Anna (this small ferry leaves from Ouranopolis every day at 6.30 h and at 12,30 from Dafni, after the arrival of the large ferry Panteleimonos ferry at 12 h – Phone 0030694 7819885). You might reach skiti Anna in time and go up to climb to the top. Reaching Agia Anna by foot on one day from Pantocratoros is not realistic, that is a very long and heavy hike, too long for most people!
Beware, sleeping at Agia Anna could also give you problems, because on the 19th it is very crowded with pilgrims, who also want to go to the top, a reservation is needed!
You could also reverse your itinery and first go (on the 18th) to Agia Anna by ferry from Ouranopolis (via Dafni) and sleep there (if possible!). Next day -the 19th- you could go to top and join the liturgy. Probably you’ll have to sleep at The Panaghia refuge, which will overfull that day or walk down again and go back to Agia Anna (hiking in the dark is not a good idea!!!).
I hope this helps you a bit, but you made no easy plans for a trip to Athos, I wonder if theze plans will work out for you and your boys. Ask other pilgrims how they planned their trip.
One of our rules is that the plans you made in advance, allways will change and turn out different once you are on Athos. That is probably the influence of the Panaghia, who leads you there.
Good luck and succes!
Best regards, Wim
Hi Serge,
Because I was busy I unfortunedly did not see your post on time. I would have said that the agripnía at the top is during the night 18/19 august. So if you go 19th you will be too late. Second, I heard there would be no liturgy at all from Megistis Lavras at the top. So I am very curious if this rumor was wrong or if I was wrong. Do you know?