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    ‘The heart of Orthodox monasticism’: Historic monasteries on Mount Athos damaged by earthquakes

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    By on Orthodox News, Orthodox News Top Stories

    Source: The Jerusalem Post

    Damage reported at Xenophontos, Dochiariou, and Simonopetra monasteries; centuries-old frescoes affected.

    An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.3 struck the peninsula of Mount Athos on June 7, at 15:46. The strongest in a series of tremors, its epicenter was located in the sea near the coastal monasteries of Dochiariou and Xenophontos.

    The earthquake caused damages to historical buildings and frescoes in Mount Athos. Greater damage was noticeable on the walls where icons are located in the Dohiar Monastery.

    In the Dohijar Monastery, the earthquake caused the opening of old cracks that had been superficially closed with mortar. Similar damage was found in the monastery’s refectory, where older cracks were activated despite being closed with newer mortars.

    The epicenter of the earthquake was located at sea, at a depth of 12.5 kilometers, northwest of Karyes, as specified by the Institute of Geodynamics of Athens.

    Mount Athos, also known as the Holy Mountain, is a unique place on the cultural and spiritual map of Europe. Home to a community of 20 monasteries inhabited by monks for centuries, it has enjoyed a certain degree of autonomy since the Byzantine era, making it an important site for Greek Orthodox Christianity. It has the status of an autonomous district with its own authorities and administration and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

    The earthquake caused damage to the monasteries of Xenophontos and Dochiariou, which date back to the 10th century, as well as to the 14th-century monastery of Simonopetra. In the Ksenofont Monastery, large cracks have been recorded on the domes of both the main church and the naos. A small metal chandelier fell in the main church, causing minor damage to the 11th-century marble floor.

    In response to the situation, the Greek Ministry of Culture announced that a team of archaeologists and conservators would conduct detailed studies to assess the full extent of the damages. Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni stated that the Ministry has been in continuous communication with the representatives of the Holy Monasteries from the very first moment.

    “Structural restoration and strengthening works are in full progress for the catholicons of the monasteries of Dochiariou and Xenophontos,” the Ministry stated, including projects such as the “Structural restoration of the katholikon of the Holy Monastery of Dochiariou of Mount Athos” and “Strengthening of the load-bearing structure of the katholikon of the Holy Monastery.”

    The Directorate of Antiquities of Halkidiki and Mount Athos has been established in the area to record the damages and to immediately implement rescue measures, and has been present on Mount Athos since the day after the earthquake.

    At the Monastery of Xenophontos, the team found that the earthquake caused intense cracks in the domes, both in the main church and in the narthex, activating old cracks, mainly in arches that had previously closed. For the old katholikon, given its historical value, it has been proposed to carry out studies aimed at strengthening the monument as a whole and to definitively address older pathologies.

    Several frescoes at the Ksenofont Monastery have been damaged, with additional damage occurring due to the recent earthquake, which had already weakened them from a previous tremor in February. “Several of these damages had been caused by the earthquake of February 15, 2025, however, with the recent earthquake, there was a worsening,” the Ministry of Culture’s announcement stated.

    At the Monastery of Dochiariou, intense fissures were caused in the exo-narthex of the church, which had not been strengthened with tie rods. The recent strengthening works of the monument, with metallic tie rods, prevented further damages. The katholikon of Dochiariou has frescoes from 1568 attributed to the famous painter of the Cretan school, Georgios.

    In the Simonopetra Monastery, the earthquake caused damage in the central wing, and parts of frescoes were damaged. The monastery sustained more limited damage compared to the others, with less severe overall impact.

    Entry to the territory of Mount Athos is possible only for men. Every visitor must obtain a special permit called a diamonitirion to enter Mount Athos. Not everyone can enter; the number of pilgrims and guests is strictly limited.

    The Department of Antiquities of Halkidiki and Mount Athos had applied corrective measures, mainly with gauzes and in places grouting of the cracks. The Department monitors the drilling works and, where necessary, applies additional temporary protection measures.

    The overall picture of the damages in the Holy Monasteries will be completed by the end of the week. The maintenance of the frescoes of the katholikon will begin immediately, financed by the non-profit company AIGEAS of Athanasios and Marina Martinos.

    “As in the past, whenever needed, the Ministry of Culture, having full awareness of the enormous archaeological, historical, and spiritual significance of Mount Athos, is present to heal wounds and damages according to the principles of science and ethics,” Mendoni stated.
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