New Athos seemed to hide from prying eyes in the gorge of the Psyrha River, not far from Sukhum, the resort city of Abkhazia. Pure sea air, dense forests and ancient history attract many travelers to this region.
Alleys of slender cypresses, a majestic cathedral with blue domes, monastic corpses, greenery of man-made gardens and a vast sea - these are the faces of the monastery in New Athos (Abkhazia) today admired by travelers.
The beginning of the monastery complex
The history of the Orthodox male monastery began at the end of the 19th century, when a considerable sum of money and a vast territory were donated to the monks of the Russian monastery in Greece from the royal treasury. The earth was notorious, because here in the I century Simon Kananit, a Christian missionary in the Caucasus, died. And the mountain itself with its appearance resembled the Greek mountain Athos.
Architect Nikonov created a project according to which the monks began the construction of the monastery a year later. The pristine mountainous terrain was difficult to access and difficult to master, the monks needed a lot of time and effort to clear the territory. It was necessary to fill up the abyss, improve the soil, level the land for construction. The monastery itself consisted of lower and upper parts. Thanks to the incredible efforts of the monks in 1884 there was already a church of the Protection of the Mother of God, a shelter for pilgrims, outbuildings and the pride of the complex - a school for boys. The building of the upper monastery was completed. Only in 1911, New Athos (Abkhazia) found its upper part.
The monastery stands out among other similar monasteries for its grandeur and is truly a work of art. In the north-west of the monastery is a bell tower 50 meters high, under which a refectory, a hospital and a laundry are comfortably arranged. The monastery complex itself consists of several churches: a church in honor of the Icon of the Redeemer of the Mother of God, in the name of Jeron the Martyr, in honor of the Monks of Athos, the Church of St. Andrew the First-Called and the Church of the Ascension of the Lord. The cathedral in the name of the great martyr Panteleimon is the most important and impressive building in the monastery. The walls of all churches, including the refectory, are decorated with frescoes.
Abkhazia New Athos (monastery) - the largest center of Orthodoxy
The monastery of St. Simon Kananita became the center of Orthodoxy on the territory of the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus. The number of pilgrims who visited the monastery annually amounted to thousands. Among them were eminent guests: Prince Mikhail Romanov, Emperor Nicholas II, writers Maxim Gorky and Anton Chekhov.
The monks invested a lot of work both in the development of the monastery itself and in the district as a whole. A marina was built for passengers and goods, a hydroelectric power station, and its own railway with a steam locomotive donated by Alexander III. There were several factories for the production of candles, oil, bricks, and craft workshops were opened at the monastery. In orchards on carefully cultivated land, familiar fruits and unprecedented tangerines, olives, lemons and oranges grew. There was an own apiary, winery and stud farm. Abkhazia, New Athos, the monastery - the first associations that arise in any Orthodox believer in the Caucasus. The scope and influence of the monastery was truly grandiose.
Contradictory 20th Century
With the advent of Soviet power, difficult times began for the monastery . For seven years, the monks courageously tried to defend the complex, but in 1924 it was still closed for counter-revolutionary propaganda. In different years of the Soviet period, the monastery was used as a warehouse, camp site or military hospital.
Only in the late 90s of the XX century Abkhazia, New Athos (the monastery, in particular) began to rise from their knees. Divine services began within the walls of the complex, a male choir and church music sounded, the church economy came to life. In 2001, a school and a regency school were opened. Repair and restoration work is still underway, because the buildings of the monastery complex were badly damaged without the sensitive guidance of the monks.
Invariably attracts pilgrims and tourists to ancient Abkhazia. New Athos (monastery) is a unique world heritage of Orthodox Christianity, which every believer seeks to touch the shrines of.
Pilgrimage to the men's monastery is open daily, except Monday, from 12 noon to 18 pm.