The Holy Hermitage of Agios Andreas, known as Serai ("this is Paradise" in the Russian language) is located 500 meters from Karyes and belongs to the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi. It is called Skete because according to the regulations of Mount Athos no new Monasteries are founded. It is said that in the 10th AD the Monastery of the abbot of Xystris (or Xestos) previously existed in this location. Until the 17th century, there was a cell of Saint Anthony while in the middle of the 17th century. the resigned Patriarch of Constantinople Agios Athanasios Patellaros settles in the place. In 1768, the abdicated Ecumenical Patriarch Seraphim II dedicated a new church to the Apostle Andrew, a miniature of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, the ruins of which are preserved today. In 1841, the Russian monks Bessarion and Varsanoufios were installed, while in 1849 the Congregational Skete of Agios Andreas was established with a patriarchal seal. At the beginning of the 20th century about 600 Russian monks lived here. The monastic complex follows the architectural type of the monasteries of Agioreita with tall buildings facing an inner courtyard while the temple dominates in the center. The magnificent Sunday church of Agios Andreas (height 30 m. x 60 m. length x 33 m. width), made of carved granite and marble, was inaugurated in 1900 by the Patriarch of Constantinople Joachim III and is the largest church on Mount Athos. The designs of the church, in Byzantine and Baroque style, are by the Russian architect M. Surupov. The cart of Saint Andrew is kept here. The magnificent Sunday church of Agios Andreas (height 30 m. x 60 m. length x 33 m. width), made of carved granite and marble, was inaugurated in 1900 by the Patriarch of Constantinople Joachim III and is the largest church on Mount Athos. The designs of the church, in Byzantine and Baroque style, are by the Russian architect M. Surupov. The cart of Saint Andrew is kept here. The magnificent Sunday church of Agios Andreas (height 30 m. x 60 m. length x 33 m. width), made of carved granite and marble, was inaugurated in 1900 by the Patriarch of Constantinople Joachim III and is the largest church on Mount Athos. The designs of the church, in Byzantine and Baroque style, are by the Russian architect M. Surupov. The cart of Saint Andrew is kept here.
In 1900, the northern five-story wing (109m long) that housed the Hospital, the Pharmacy and the church of Saint Innocent was rebuilt with a donation from the Russian monk Innocent Sibirgiakov. Until 1913, various buildings and workshops were built with donations from Russian pilgrims, such as a machine shop, a carpentry shop, a sewing shop, a photography studio, etc. as well as the west wing which housed the Library (and was destroyed in 1958 by fire). Sketi also published a newspaper called "Guidance and Fairy Tales in the Orthodox Faith". With the Russian revolution of 1917, government funding stopped as well as the influx of new monks. In 1960, only 5 monks lived in Sketi, while in 1971 the last Russian monk, Father Samson, died. The Athoniada School for future monks has been operating here since 1953. In 1992, after 2 decades of withering and abandonment, the monk brothers Maximos and Pavlos Politis from Thessaloniki settled in Skiti, who managed to obtain funding for the restoration of Skiti. In the underground space (500 sq.m.) of the temple, they organized a fully equipped laboratory for the preservation and study of sacred relics with high-tech X-ray and photographic equipment. From 2001 until today, 16 monks from the neighboring Filotheou monastery, led by Fr Ephraim, have been living in Sketi. ) of the temple organized a fully equipped laboratory for the preservation and study of sacred relics with high-tech x-ray and photographic material. From 2001 until today, 16 monks from the neighboring Filotheou monastery, led by Fr Ephraim, have been living in Sketi. ) of the temple organized a fully equipped laboratory for the preservation and study of sacred relics with high-tech x-ray and photographic material. From 2001 until today, 16 monks from the neighboring Filotheou monastery, led by Fr Ephraim, have been living in Sketi.
Editor: Niki Kalopaidis