Where is the Holy Monastery of Dochiari and how to access it
The Holy Monastery of Dochiari is located on the western side of the Athos peninsula and is the first coastal monastery that we see as we sail from Ouranoupoli to Dafni, the port of Mount Athos. The Monastery is located at an altitude of 30m. and at a distance of about one hour from the Holy Monastery of Xenophon.
The Holy Monastery of Dochiari is located at a distance of 15 kilometers from Karyes, the capital of Mount Athos, and approximately 3 – 3:30 hours of walking is required for this distance.
When was the Holy Monastery of Dochiari built and who is considered its founder
According to tradition, the founder of the Monastery of Dochiariou is considered to be the student and co-practitioner of Saint Athanasios the Athonite, Euthymios. The monk Euthymios had previously been a storekeeper at the Holy Monastery of Great Lavra.
Initially, Euthymios founded, in the 10th century, a monastery in Dafni, dedicated to Saint Nikolaos. However, at the beginning of the 11th century, the Monastery was destroyed and moved to its current location.
The current building of the Holy Monastery of Dochiari forms an irregular pentagon, with its defensive tower standing prominently on the eastern side. In the center of the small sloping courtyard dominates the Church, a 16th century building. The bright and admirably beautiful Katholiko (=the main church of the monastery) is decorated with excellent frescoes of the Cretan School, probably by the Cretan painter Tzortzis.
The amphitheater position of the monastery, the cypress trees and its distinct architecture, rank the Monastery of Dochiari as one of the most picturesque monastic complexes of Mount Athos. Today, the Holy Monastery of Dochiari occupies the 10th place in the hierarchy of the monasteries of Mount Athos.
The prosperity period of the Holy Monastery of Dochiari and its benefactors
The Holy Monastery of Dochiari is mentioned for the first time in the official papers of 1045, in which the signature of an abbot named Theodoulos "Theodoulos monk and abbot of Dochiario" is found.
Emperor Nikiforos III Botaneiatis was one of the first benefactors of the Dochiari Monastery, who helped the Monastery financially and covered the costs for its expansion. For this reason, the emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiatis is considered as the co-founder of the Monastery.
At the end of the 11th century, the abbot of the Monastery Neophytos renovated and enlarged the Monastery, giving it new prestige. As we can conclude from the “Typica” (=official papers) of Mount Athos, the Monastery of Dochiari was in a flourishing position during the first three centuries since its foundation (10th - 13th century).
However, at the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th century, the Monastery of Dochiari experienced difficulties due to multiple pirate raids and entered a period of decline. In these difficult times, the emperor John V Palaiologos and the ruler of Serbia Stefanos Dusan significantly strengthened the Monastery.
During the 16th century, the priest George from Adrianople visited the Monastery of Dochiariou to become a monk and dedicated all his possessions to it. In 1570, Emperor Michael VII Doukas and his mother, Roxandra, wife of the ruler of Moldavia Alexander, undertook the reconstruction of the Monastery anew, after the intense period of decline, in which the Monastery had fallen.
At the beginning of the 17th century, the tower of the Monastery was renovated and strengthened, while in 1660 it was recognized as «Stavropigiaki». In the 18th century, the bell tower of the Monastery was built.
During the Revolution of 1821, the Holy Monastery of Dochiari was heavily looted by the Turks, who tortured the monks and stole its relics. In addition, the Monastery lost the majority of its property.
When does the Holy Monastery of Dochiari celebrate: Synagogue of the Archangels, November 8
The Holy Monastery of Dochiari was originally dedicated to Saint Nikolaos. However, after various miracles of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, it was decided that the monastery would celebrate at the Synaxis of the Archangels.
Because the Holy Monastery of Dochiari is considered the monastery of the Military
The Holy Monastery of Dochiari is considered as the Athonite monastery of the military because its patrons are the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, who are patrons of the Air Force. Every year, on the monastery's feast day crowds of pilgrims flock, among them many military personnel of the Air Force, from all over Greece.
In addition, the miraculous icon of Panagia Gorgoepikoos, located in the monastery, has performed dozens of miracles for the personnel of the Armed Forces and Security Forces. Thus, the Holy Monastery of Dochiari has received the nickname of the Athonite Monastery of the Military.
The Library and the Holy Relics located in the Holy Monastery of Dochiari
Panagia Gorgoepikoos
The greatest and most important relic is the miraculous icon of Panagia Gorgoepikoos. According to tradition, during the 17th century, Panagia Gorgoepikoos healed a blind man, and since then many patients pray to Panagia for healing. Panagia Gorgoepikoos is located to the right of the entrance of the refectory (trapeza), inside a special chapel, where every day a monk sings the prayer to Panagia.
Every September, specifically from September 6-7 to 14, the icon of Panagia Gorgoepikoos comes out of Mount Athos and is transferred to the women's metochi of Panagia Theoskepasto in Soho, Lagada, Thessaloniki. Thus, multitudes of believers flock to worship the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary.
Many relics, gold-embroidered fabrics, wood-carved crosses, holy relics of Saints and a piece of the Holy Cross are kept in the monastery's sacristy.
545 manuscripts and more than 5,000 printed books are kept in the library of the Holy Monastery of Dochiari.
In addition to the share of Panagia Theoskepasto in Soho, Thessaloniki, the Holy Monastery of Dochiari belongs to six chapels and two Cells in Karyes.
Contact with Dochiari Monastery:
Phone: +30 2377 0 23245
Email: dohiarmon@gmail.com
