Traditions concerning the Monastery

We have the first evidence of the Holy Monastery of Vatopaidi in a document of 985 which bears the signature of its first Abbot, Nicholas. In the case of the First Typikon* of Tsimiskes (972), we are unable to identify precisely all those involved, while in that of Monomachus, we see that Vatopaidi is second in the hierarchical order of the monasteries of the Holy Mountain. Furthermore, the Abbot of the Monastery attends the common assemblies and is accompanied by four monks. Vatopaidi, as a monastery with many monks, enjoys other special privileges.

Such a rapid rise in the position of Vatopaidi is perhaps difficult to explain in the case of a monastery newly-established in 980-985. However, the patria, that is, its traditions, recorded in manuscript codices, speak of the existence of the Monastery before the 10th century – from the time of Theodosius the Great and his children Arcadius, Honorius, and Placidia. The reason why they founded the Monastery was the miraculous rescue of Arcadius from a shipwreck, after which he was set down near a bush (vatos) and a church founded by Constantine the Great, laid waste by Julian the Apostate⁷. During the period between the 4th and approximately the beginning of the 10th century, the traditions tell of a monastery which was so prosperous and splendid that it attracted pirates, who left it ruined.

After this destruction of the Monastery, we meet up with history again in the figures of the three holy founders Nicholas, Athanasius, and Antony⁸. These saints were sent by St Athanasius of the Megiste Lavra to rebuild the Monastery after its destruction by pirates. Thus from 985 onwards, the Monastery of Vatopaidi becomes one of the most powerful institutions on the Holy Mountain and its renown soon attracts a host of monks and outstanding personalities, of whom many are saints of the Orthodox Church.