Vatopedi

Vatopedi is a monastery located on Mount Athos in Greece. It is one of the twenty coenobitic monasteries that make up the monastic state of Mount Athos. The monastery's full name is the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi. Founded in the late 10th century, it is the second-largest monastery on Mount Athos in terms of size and significance, after Great Lavra.

The monastery is situated on the eastern side of the Athos peninsula, overlooking the Aegean Sea. Its complex architecture includes a fortified wall, numerous chapels, a refectory, and a library that houses valuable manuscripts and icons. Vatopedi has a rich history, having played an important role in the spiritual and political life of the Orthodox Church throughout the centuries. It has been a center of learning and monasticism, attracting monks and pilgrims from across the Orthodox world.

Vatopedi is known for its venerated relics, including a fragment of the True Cross and the miraculous icon of the Theotokos Voulomeni (She Who Willingly Hears). The monastery follows the coenobitic rule, meaning monks live communally under the guidance of an abbot. It maintains a significant spiritual influence and continues to be an active monastic community today.