Monastery of Iviron

Monastery of Iviron (Georgian: ივერთა მონასტერი, iverta monast'eri; Greek: Μονή Ιβήρων, Monḗ Ivirōn) is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in the monastic community of Mount Athos in northern Greece.

Iviron
Monastery as seen from a nearby trail
Location within Mount Athos
Monastery information
Full nameMonastery of Iviron
Orderformerly Georgian Orthodox Church
now Patriarchate of Constantinople
Establishedbetween 980-983 AD
Dedicated toDormition of the Theotokos
People
Founder(s)John the Iberian and Tornikios
PriorArchimandrite Elder Nathanael
Important associated figuresGeorge of Athos, Tornikios, John the Iberian, Euthymius of Athos
Site
Location Mount Athos, Greece
Coordinates40.2455°N 24.2848°E / 40.2455; 24.2848
Public accessMen only

History

The monastery was built under the supervision of two Georgian monks, John the Iberian and Tornike Eristavi between 980–83 and housed Georgian clergy and priests.[1] In Greek, Iviron literally means "of the Iberians", referring to the Georgian kingdom of Kartli that formed a nucleus of per-Medieval Georgia. Although Iberia as a distinct entity no longer existed when the monastery was established (it was already part of the unified Georgian Kingdom), over the centuries in Greek the term "Iberia" had become synonymous with Georgia, which is why the monastery's founder became known as John the Iberian.

The monastery ranks third in the Athonite hierarchy of 20 sovereign monasteries.[2] The monastery library contains 2,000 manuscripts, 15 liturgical scrolls, and 20,000 books in Georgian, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin.

The monastery has the relics of more canonized saints than any other on Mount Athos. The Panagia Portaitissa, a famous 9th century icon, is also located at Iviron.

The monastery has about 30 working monks and novices, none of whom are Georgian. However, there are forty or so Georgian hermits living in hermitages near the monastery.

Notable people

References
  1. The building had been partially funded by Byzantine Emperor Basil II. As a reward for John the Iberian's help with suppressing a rebellion, Basil II gave 1200 pounds of gold for the building of the monarchy. The mind of the Orthodox Church, Vlachos, Hierotheos.
  2. "The administration of Mount Athos". Archived from the original on 2016-03-11. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
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