Pilgrimage Program
Program for the holy places of surrounding Holy Mount Athos, Greece from 6 to 30 September 2024
09/16/24 – 09/19/24
Thessaloniki (3 nights)
09.16.24
- Gathering of pilgrims in Thessaloniki. Hotel
- Visit to Aristotle Square, the White Tower, a walk along the embankment.
- 20.00 Meal in the old town.
09/17/24
- Sightseeing tour, visit to the Basilica of the Great Martyr Dmitry Thessalonica, Hagia Sophia, Cathedral of St. Gregory Paloma, St. Rotunda George, Museum of Byzantium.
09/18/24
- Visit to the Monastery of St. John the Theologian in Suroti and the grave of Elder Paisios the Athonite, visit to the Petralona cave.
- Visit to a traditional Greek winery and lunch.
09/19/24 – 09/22/24
Mount Athos (3 nights)
Program for men.
09.19.24
- At 6.00 departure from the hotel to the Ierissos pier.
- 8.00 – 10.00 – boat to the Holy Vatopedi Monastery. The monastery keeps part of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, the honorable belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary, particles of relics
- Saints: Gregory the Theologian, Andrew of Crete, Apostle Bartholomew, Great Martyrs Theodore Stratelates, Paraskeva, Kirik, Sergius and Bacchus, Hieromartyr Charalampios, Great Martyr Panteleimon, Tryphon, John the Merciful, Archdeacon Stephen, Great Martyr Demetrius Thessaloniki. Among the icons of the Mother of God in the monastery there are at least seven are considered miraculous: “Consolation”, or “Consolation” (“Paramithia”, 14th century), “Vsetsaritsa” (“Pantanassa”, 17th century), “Uncleaning”, or “Kelarnitsa” (“Eleovritissa”, “Dochiarissa”, XIV century), “Ktitorskaya”, or “Altarmaid” (“Vimatarissa”, 10th century), “Slaughtered” (“Esphagmeni”, 14th century), “Forerunner”, or “Living” (“Antiphonitria”), “Shot through” (“Pyrovolifis”).
09.20.24
- At 9.00 Visit to the St. Andrew’s monastery and transfer to the Monastery of St. Panteleimon (Coastal Russian). The treasure of the monastery is the library, which was badly damaged during the fire of 1959, and several priceless shrines, including the relics of St. Panteleimon, the foot of Andrew the First-Called, the honorable head of the Apostle Luke, the relics of John
- Forerunners, apostles: Peter, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew and Barnabas; the first martyr Stephen, Isaac of Dalmatia, Dionysius the Areopagite, unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, Cyril Jerusalem, Tryphon and many others. Here is the miraculous icon of God Mother, called “Jerusalem”, icon of St. John the Baptist, ancient icon of the saint the great martyr and healer Panteleimon and the icon of the holy martyr Charalampios.
09/21/24
- Visit to the Dohiar monastery. The monastery houses a miraculous icon Our Lady “Quick to Hear”, a piece of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, head of the martyr Dionysius the Areopagite, first bishop of Athens (1st century), head Saint Mitrofan, Patriarch of Constantinople (IV century), plates with blood Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessalonica, head of the New Martyr George of Ephesus, hand
martyrs Marina, Paraskeva, particles of the relics of John the Baptist, Great Martyr Panteleimon, Hieromartyr Ermolai, Hieromartyr Charalampios, Saint John the Russian, Great Martyr Nikita. - Visit to the Xenophon Monastery. Pilgrims can venerate to the Hand of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, the relics of the Prophet and Baptist of the Lord John, St. App. Andrew, Barnabas and Philip, first hour. archdeacon Stefana, mchch. George the Victorious and Demetrius of Thessalonica, martyr. Panteleimon, St. Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom, St. Gregory Palamas, John the Merciful and Photius, Patr. Constantinople, sschmch. Charalampia, sschmchch. Euphemia, Akakia and Ignatius Bogonostsev, martyr. Theodore Tyrone and Tryphon, vmts. Marina, mcc. Agathia and Paraskeva, St. Modestus and Jacob the Persian. The miraculous icon is kept “Ordigetria”.
09.22.24
- 9.30 Departure by boat from the Monastery of St. Panteleimon to Ouranoupolis.
- 11.00 Departure from Ouranoupolis to Sithonia, visit to the Nunnery Monastery Annunciation (Ormilia). Reconnecting with women.
09/19/24 – 09/22/24
Mount Athos – Kassandra – Sithonia (3 nights).
Program for women.
09.19.24
- At 6.00 departure from the hotel to the Ierissos pier.
- 9.00 – Visit to Ouranoupolis. Large selection of church goods and natural Athos products.
- 10.30 – 14.30 Boat trip along the southwestern shore of Mount Athos with an overview monasteries.
- 14.30 – 17.00 Visit to ancient Stagira and the tomb of Aristotle.
- 19.30 – check-in at the hotel on the Kassandra Peninsula.
- 20.00 – Meal in a traditional Greek tavern.
09/20/24
- Beach holiday.
- 17.00 Visit to the Monastery of St. John the Russian.
- 20.00 – Meal at the tavern.
09/21/24
- 10.00 Visit to the thermal resort of Agia Paraskevi, beach holiday.
- 20.00 – Meal at the tavern.
09.22.24
- 11.00 Departure from the hotel to the Sithonia Peninsula.
- 12.30 – 14.30 – Reunion with men. Visit to the largest Mount Athos metochion – the Women’s Monastery of the Annunciation (Ormilia). Getting to know the monastery – the art of olive oil production.
- 15.00 – 17.00 Meal at a fish tavern in the village of Vatopedi. Visit to the Saint’s Temple Panteleimon.
- 17.30 Departure from Vatopedi.
09/22/24 – 09/23/24
Meteora (1 night)
09.22.24
- 22.00 Check-in at the hotel in Kalambaka
09/23/24
- 10.00 Departure from the hotel
- 10.30 – 16.00 Visit to the Meteora monastery complex: monasteries – “Transfiguration”, “Barlaam”, “St. Nicholas Anapavsas”, “Holy Trinity”; women’s monasteries – “Rusanu or the monastery of St. Barbara”, “St. Stephen”.
- 16.30 – Departure for Athens.
09/23/24 – 09/26/24
Athens (3 nights)
09.23.24
- 20.00 Check-in at the hotel in Athens.
- 21.00 – Meal.
09/24/24
- 10.00 Visit to the Athens Acropolis and Parthenon,
- 14.00 – visit to the National Archaeological Museum.
- 18.00 – visit to the Temple of Olympian Zeus.
09/25/24
- 10.00 Visit to the Museum of Byzantine and Christian Art, Temple Hephaestus (Hephaestion).
- 16.00 – Visit to the Russian Russian Embassy Church of the Holy Trinity.
- 20.00 – Meal.
09/26/24 – 09/28/24
Aegina Island (2 nights)
09.26.24
- 8.00 Departure from the hotel in Athens to the island of Aegina. Visit to the women’s Monastery of the Holy Trinity – St. Nektarios of Aegina.
- 14.00 – Check-in to the hotel. Beach holiday.
- 20.00 – Meal.
09/27/24
- 10.00 Visit to the Doric Temple of Aphaia.
- 12.00 – Tasting of pistachios and traditional products of the island.
- 14.00 Beach rest.
- 20.00 – Meal.
28.09.24 – 29.09.24
Thessaloniki (1 night)
09.28.24
- 8.00 Departure from the hotel on the island of Aegina.
- 13.00 – 16.00 – Visit to the ancient Greek city of Delphi.
- 22.00 – Check-in at a hotel in Thessaloniki.
09.29.24
Departure of pilgrims