Mount Athos Handicrafts

The prayer ropes from Mount Athos are blessed from a holy place. At each knot we invoke the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, saying the short prayer "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me". According to the tradition, the origin of the prayer ropes is traced to a monk, who thought of making simple knots in a rope and using it in his daily "rule" of prayer. There are many types of prayer ropes. Some are woven with wool or silk. Others are made with beads, wood, leather, stone or with the fruit of a plant called "tears of the Virgin". The prayer rope is a reminder of the monks' obligation to pray without interruption, according to the command of the Apostle Paul: "pray without ceasing". The main purpose of the prayer ropes is to help us in our prayer to God and His saints.

Wonderful handmade wood carvings from Mount Athos. Unique designs with Jesus Christ, Virgin Mary, the Angels and Saints of our church. Wooden crosses, candlesticks, icons, blessing crosses and pendants. The Athonite monks, deliver us exceptional artworks of wood carving, where their artistic expression, aesthetics and sensitivity are reflected. The wood carvings from Mount Athos impress with their rich composition, their beauty, the refinement of their processing and their originality. In our collection there are typical artworks of the Athonite woodcarving art, made of walnut tree, beech, poplar, birch, boxwood and cedar.

The Cross is the highest symbol for the Orthodox faith, because the salvation of the world and all people was accomplished by Jesus Christ on the Cross. For all believers, the Cross is a companion in our lives and prayers. It is the symbol that brings us closer to Jesus Christ. You can find many types of crosses, with elaborate or simpler designs, made with reverence by the monks of Mount Athos. Fine crucifixes, prayer ropes for the neck, wooden and silver-plated crosses are some of the handicrafts you can find in our collection.

For the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, the faithful offer bread and wine to God. These simple items, during the Divine Liturgy and with the presence of the grace of the Holy Spirit, are transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ. When we receive the holy communion, we receive Christ himself within us. In this category, you can find a wide variety of holy bread seals, made by the monks of Mount Athos, which vary in design and size. Wooden seals with the Double-Headed Eagle, Great Lamb or machine made seals. Other seals bear inscriptions around the perimeter, such as "Holy Lord Sabaoth", "As a Lamb to the Slaughter the Lord Came", "Take, Eat; This Is My Body" etc.

Myrrh (aromatic oil) is inextricably linked to our faith and symbolizes tenderness and devotion to our Lord Jesus Christ. This beneficial oil includes a composition of plants and aromatic substances. According to the Bible, the women who followed the Lord in his Passion, the Myrrh Bearers, anointed His body with myrrh, thus offering honor to our Savior. Myrrh is the fragrance of Orthodoxy and at the same time symbolizes the grace of the Holy Spirit. In this category, you will find authentic monastery myrrh (aromatic oil) produced according to the traditional recipe in the monasteries of Mount Athos.

The leather belts are made by the fathers of Mount Athos in their workshop and are available in various sizes. They are decorated with various representations, the Cross of Martyrdom, Virgin Mary and the Double-headed Eagle. At the same time, the monks added a leather loop in each belt to hang useful items, while the buckles can be easily changed. The leather belts have a metal buckle in silver, black or gold.

In this category you will find lances and chrialides, made by experienced craftsmen and the appropriate materials, according to the tradition of our Church. The chrialides are used by the priests to anoint the faithful with oil on the face and hands. The lance is a metal liturgical utensil of our Church that is used for the slicing of the consecrated bread by the priest.

The Monk Handwoven bags have a tradition of many years, which originates from the habit of monks to hang a small sack made of thick handmade woolen cloth on their shoulders, to store their food. They also placed it in front of the animals' heads, putting their food inside, so that it served as a feeder. The monk handwoven bags that we have in our collection are unique and made with care and patience by the monks on Mount Athos.