New Athos Monastery

{{Short description|Orthodox monastery in New Athos, Georgia (Abkhazia)}}

{{Infobox monastery

| name = New Athos Monastery

| native_name = ახალი ათონის მონასტერი {{in lang|ka}}
Афон Ҿыцтәи аберҭыԥ {{in lang|ab}}

| native_name_lang =

| image = Novoafonsky monastyr.jpg

| alt =

| caption = New Athos Monastery

| full =

| other_names =

| order =

| denomination =Georgian Orthodox, Abkhazian Orthodox Church, Holy Metropolis of Abkhazia

| established = 1875

| disestablished =

| reestablished =

| mother =

| dedication =

| dedicated date =

| consecrated date = 1883-1896

| celebration =

| archdiocese =

| diocese =

| churches =

| founder =

| abbot =

| prior =

| archbishop =

| bishop =

| archdeacon =

| people =

| status =

| functional_status =

| heritage_designation =

| designated_date =

| architect =

| style =

| groundbreaking =

| completed_date =

| construction_cost =

| closed_date =

| location = {{flagicon|Georgia}} New Athos, Gudauta District, Abkhazia, Georgia

| country = Abkhazia{{Abkhazia note}}

| map_type = Georgia Abkhazia#Georgia

| coordinates = {{coord|43|5|17|N|40|49|15|E|region:RU_type:landmark_source:dewiki|display=inline,title}}

| oscoor =

| remains =

| public_access =

| other_info =

| website =

{{Infobox designation list

| embed = yes

| designation1 = Cultural Heritage Monument of Georgia

| designation1_offname = St. Panteleimon Monastery/Church

| designation1_type =

| designation2_criteria =

| designation1_date = {{start date and age|2006|03|30}}

| designation1_partof =

| designation1_number = 3549

| designation1_free1name = Item Number in Cultural Heritage Portal

| designation1_free1value = [https://memkvidreoba.gov.ge/objects/immovable/immovableObject?id=9286 9286]

| designation1_free2name = Date of entry in the registry

| designation1_free2value = {{start date and age|2007|10|03}}

}}}}

New Athos Monastery ({{lang-ka|ახალი ათონის მონასტერი|tr}}; {{langx|ab|Афон Ҿыцтәи аберҭыԥ}}; {{langx|ru|Новоафонский монастырь}}, Novoafonskiy monastir’) is a monastery in New Athos, municipality of Gudauta, in a breakaway republic of Abkhazia (mostly internationally recognized as a part of Georgia). New Athos Monastery was founded in 1875 by monks who came from the St. Panteleimon Monastery in Mount Athos, with Mount Athos having been an important site for the Orthodox Church since 1054. {{cite web |title=Mount Athos |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/454/ |website=whc.unesco.org |access-date=16 June 2025 |language=en}}

History

The unfinished monastery was looted during the Russo-Turkish War during 1877-1878, and the construction works for the monastery continued during the 1880s, with the structure finally being completed in 1900.{{cite web |title=Structural Integrity of New Athos Monastery Approved |url=https://orthochristian.com/148582.html |website=Orthodox Christianity |access-date=16 June 2025}}

In the center of the western building, a building bell tower 50 metres {{convert|50|m|ft}} (160 ft) high was erected. In the lower part of the bell tower, a monastic refectory is located. In the middle of the monastic complex stands the five-domed church of St. Panteleimon, in the architecture of which traits of the so-called Neo-Byzantine style are discernible. The interior of the church is embellished with murals, painted between 1911 and 1914. St Panteleimon is the largest Cathedral in Abkhazia. {{cite web |title=New Athos Monastery in Abkhazia |url=https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2009/09/new-athos-monastery-in-abkhazia.html |access-date=16 June 2025 |language=en}}

The monastery was closed between 1924 and 1994 due to the Soviet persecution of religion. After this point, the monastery returned to the Orthodox Church.

The monastery is currently used by the schismatic {{ill|Holy Metropolis of Abkhazia|ru|Анакопийская епархия}}, while it is also claimed by the schismatic Abkhazian Orthodox Church and thle Georgian Orthodox Church.{{cite web|url=https://jam-news.net/church-conflict-in-abkhazia/|title= ‘Battle’ for New Athos monastery: Church schism escalates in Abkhazia |date=5 June 2025|work=JAMnews}}

Current condition

New Athos Monastery was given the status of Immovable Cultural Monument of National Significance in Georgia in 2006,{{cite web |title=Georgia Heritage Sites |url=https://www.heritagesites.ge/uploads/files/5cd556eed8919.pdf |website=Georgia Heritage |access-date=16 June 2025}} and Mount Athos as a whole was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988.

Gallery

File:2014 Nowy Aton, Widok ze szczytu Góry Iwerskiej (09).jpg

File:Noviy Afon.jpg

Sources

  • Cultural Heritage in Abkhazia, Tbilisi, 2015

References