Greetings - I would suggest you stay at St. Anne's Skete and request a blessing to stay two nights - if possible. If not possible, choose a monastary/skete close by to stay the next night. I understand that many pilgrims depart very early morning in order to see the sun rise from the top of Mt. Athos. There is a small church at the top as well. Be well. Glory to God!
Hello, Im currently a Protestant Christ, but im thinking about to convert to orthodox faith. I‘ve visited some orthodox churches but i got one question which Makes me doubt. In Exodus 20:4 ,,you shall Not make yourself an Image of something in Heaven“ but in orthodox churches are so many icons. Can you please explain this to me?
Greetings, Jan! I would encourage you to continue praying and to seek God's direction as you continue your journey towards Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy has been a blessing to me. Regarding your question concerning Exodus 20:4, I would suggest that a more accurate interpretation is not to make for oneself an idol as the preceding verse ends with " You shall have no other gods before Me." There is a difference between an icon and an idol. We are not worshiping the wood or substance from which the icon is made. I would view an icon just as you would a picture frame that contained the picture of your grandmother. You are not focused on the frame but the object depicted in the picture. We ask the saints to pray for us just as you and I might ask each other to pray for us now. The Church is not just comprised of the living but of those who proceeded us here on earth. I hope this helps. Be well - Glory to God! ~Jurgis
Greetings! What wonderful news. Yes, you can go to Mt. Athos. May God richly bless your pilgrimage, and I would encourage you to prepare by saying The Jesus Prayer now throughout the day - whether silently or before your icon wall seated. May your time with your father also be blessed. Be well ~ Jurgis
Hello! I am visting moun athos in september and i have already made the reservations a the pilgrims office. Now I want to request hospitality at the monasteries. Sadly none of the monasteries answer my phone calls. Do you have any idea why or do you maybe know a different way to contact them?
Greetings! I do not speak another language besides English and I had no problem communicating with the Fathers. However, I would say that I had the easiest time communicating at Greek monasteries as most are taught English from an early age. I also visited Panteleimon (Russian) and Hilandar (Serbian) monasteries and found that I could find monastics there to communicate with as well, although there were far fewer than at Greek monasteries. I also found that pilgrims visiting from other countries were also a help in having questions answered. Hope this helps. Be well ~ Jurgis
Hey! I hope that you can reply to my message, I am a non orthodox christian, deeply interested in orthodoxy now for almost 5 years, im traveling to Greece Feb-March. I was planning on coming to visit Mt.Athos in mid march, am I too late to send a reservation? also what would be the best monasteries to stay at? im only a en English speaker
Greetings! It is wonderful that you seek to travel to Mt Athos. Since you are non-Orthodox you would be included in the category that is limited to only ten pilgrims a day. It will be cutting it close but since it is winter with no major feasts on the calendar it may be possible. Contact Mt. Athos ( athosreservation@gmail.com )to request permission, letting them know you are not Orthodox, with the three day period you desire. Once you have that permission you can email the three monasteries you want to stay at in order to receive a blessing to spend one night. I believe all the monasteries are able to accommodate English speakers but if you are really concerned I would suggest you focus on the Greek monasteries. I enjoyed my visits to Xenophontos, Koutloumousiou, and Dionysiou monasteries - which are all Greek. I walked through both Gregoriou and Simonos Petras monasteries on my travels and would like to return to spend a night, and they are also Greek. However, I would encourage you to review a description of all the monasteries and select those you would really like to see, and trust the language concern won’t be an issue. May God bless your spiritual pilgrimage. ~ Jurgis
@ thanks very much for getting back to me, I emailed them last week and was accepted to come in march :) praise the Lord. Now I just need to contact the monasteries, I will consider the ones you mentioned. Thanks Pray for good guidance on my journey
@@Quietartworks That is wonderful news. By the way, if you want to go to Hilandar (Serbian) monastery you would need to make that your first night, as they don’t accept pilgrims who have already stayed at other monasteries on Mt Athos. May God bless your pilgrimage!
How much does the ferry cost, and how much do they charge to be in Mount Athos itself? I would to go there. Is it only 3 days in total, or could we stay at each monastery that would accept you for 3 days each? Thanks!
Mount Athos was a gift to Mother Mary- Jesus’s mother a to keep it special and just for her, no women have ever been allowed there… only Mother Mary. Hope this helps from an Orthodox Christian woman who understands this principle💖
My son Julian is planning his trip this summer.... this video will help! Thank you
Xristos Anesti !
Very interesting. I hope to visit the Holy Mountain in the future. Thank you for sharing your experience.
May God bless your trip!
How can you get to the top of Mt Athos
Greetings - I would suggest you stay at St. Anne's Skete and request a blessing to stay two nights - if possible. If not possible, choose a monastary/skete close by to stay the next night.
I understand that many pilgrims depart very early morning in order to see the sun rise from the top of Mt. Athos. There is a small church at the top as well. Be well. Glory to God!
Hello,
Im currently a Protestant Christ, but im thinking about to convert to orthodox faith. I‘ve visited some orthodox churches but i got one question which Makes me doubt. In Exodus 20:4 ,,you shall Not make yourself an Image of something in Heaven“ but in orthodox churches are so many icons. Can you please explain this to me?
Greetings, Jan! I would encourage you to continue praying and to seek God's direction as you continue your journey towards Orthodoxy. Orthodoxy has been a blessing to me.
Regarding your question concerning Exodus 20:4, I would suggest that a more accurate interpretation is not to make for oneself an idol as the preceding verse ends with " You shall have no other gods before Me." There is a difference between an icon and an idol. We are not worshiping the wood or substance from which the icon is made. I would view an icon just as you would a picture frame that contained the picture of your grandmother. You are not focused on the frame but the object depicted in the picture. We ask the saints to pray for us just as you and I might ask each other to pray for us now. The Church is not just comprised of the living but of those who proceeded us here on earth. I hope this helps.
Be well - Glory to God!
~Jurgis
@@OrthodoxGardener Thank you so much Brother, be blessed!
Great answer+
Great channel+
Glory be to God for all things+++
Me and my family are going to greek next year and we (me and my dad) want to visit mount Athos, can i as a 15 year old visit Athos?
Greetings! What wonderful news. Yes, you can go to Mt. Athos. May God richly bless your pilgrimage, and I would encourage you to prepare by saying The Jesus Prayer now throughout the day - whether silently or before your icon wall seated. May your time with your father also be blessed.
Be well ~ Jurgis
Hello! I am visting moun athos in september and i have already made the reservations a the pilgrims office. Now I want to request hospitality at the monasteries. Sadly none of the monasteries answer my phone calls. Do you have any idea why or do you maybe know a different way to contact them?
I would suggest looking here for email addresses.
athosinfo.gr/step3_en.html
Glory to God!
How did you communicate to the monks? Are most English speaking or just Greek ? Thankyou God bless
Greetings! I do not speak another language besides English and I had no problem communicating with the Fathers. However, I would say that I had the easiest time communicating at Greek monasteries as most are taught English from an early age. I also visited Panteleimon (Russian) and Hilandar (Serbian) monasteries and found that I could find monastics there to communicate with as well, although there were far fewer than at Greek monasteries. I also found that pilgrims visiting from other countries were also a help in having questions answered. Hope this helps.
Be well ~ Jurgis
@@OrthodoxGardenerThanks a lot my friend, God willing heading to the Holy Mountain in 2026
thanks for that- was there 2019- God grant us returns!
Yes, my first trip was 2019 and my second trip was 2020. I returned for Pascha 2023. Glory to God!
@@OrthodoxGardener Pacha! which Mon.?
Hey! I hope that you can reply to my message, I am a non orthodox christian, deeply interested in orthodoxy now for almost 5 years, im traveling to Greece Feb-March. I was planning on coming to visit Mt.Athos in mid march, am I too late to send a reservation? also what would be the best monasteries to stay at? im only a en English speaker
Greetings! It is wonderful that you seek to travel to Mt Athos. Since you are non-Orthodox you would be included in the category that is limited to only ten pilgrims a day. It will be cutting it close but since it is winter with no major feasts on the calendar it may be possible. Contact Mt. Athos ( athosreservation@gmail.com )to request permission, letting them know you are not Orthodox, with the three day period you desire. Once you have that permission you can email the three monasteries you want to stay at in order to receive a blessing to spend one night. I believe all the monasteries are able to accommodate English speakers but if you are really concerned I would suggest you focus on the Greek monasteries. I enjoyed my visits to Xenophontos, Koutloumousiou, and Dionysiou monasteries - which are all Greek. I walked through both Gregoriou and Simonos Petras monasteries on my travels and would like to return to spend a night, and they are also Greek. However, I would encourage you to review a description of all the monasteries and select those you would really like to see, and trust the language concern won’t be an issue.
May God bless your spiritual pilgrimage. ~ Jurgis
@ thanks very much for getting back to me, I emailed them last week and was accepted to come in march :) praise the Lord. Now I just need to contact the monasteries, I will consider the ones you mentioned. Thanks
Pray for good guidance on my journey
@@Quietartworks That is wonderful news. By the way, if you want to go to Hilandar (Serbian) monastery you would need to make that your first night, as they don’t accept pilgrims who have already stayed at other monasteries on Mt Athos.
May God bless your pilgrimage!
Thank you!
I want to become a monk
How much does the ferry cost, and how much do they charge to be in Mount Athos itself? I would to go there. Is it only 3 days in total, or could we stay at each monastery that would accept you for 3 days each? Thanks!
Ferry cost - 12 Euro (One way)
To stay in monasteries is free.
One monastery will accept to stay for one day.
Kindly attach the links to the websites.
ARE YOU MARRIED OR NEVER MARRIED???
Greetings! Yes, I have been married for 38 years to a wonderful woman.
May God bless your pilgrimage. Be well.
~Jurgis
Welp, no women allowed 😒
Mount Athos was a gift to Mother Mary- Jesus’s mother a to keep it special and just for her, no women have ever been allowed there… only Mother Mary. Hope this helps from an Orthodox Christian woman who understands this principle💖