The Holy Monastery of Chilandari (or Chelandari)

The monastery was founded at the end of the 10th century. In 1198 an imperial edict of Alexios III granted it to the Serbian prince Stephan Nemanja and his son, who had both taken the habit at Vatopaedi as Simeon and Savvas. Since then it has been one of the most important spiritual centres of the Serb nation. The present katholikon, dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin, was built in 1293, frescoed in 1319-1320 and contains the tomb of the founder St Simeon. The refectory, also built in 1293, was frescoed in 1623 by Georgios Mitrophanovits, though remnants of the 14th century wall-paintings have survived. Of note among the monastery’s many relics are the icons of the Trikherousa, or Virgin with the Three Hands, the Papadiki and the Akathistos, and the mosaic of the Hodegetria, or Virgin who Guides. Chiliandari has jurisdiction over the historic cells of Typikarion and Molyvdokklisia near Karyes.

Source: Monk Chariton, Images of Athos, 3rd edition, Mount Athos, 2007