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Pilgrimage to Mount Athos
October 2, 2009 to October 16, 2009
Travel with me to Mount Athos where we will see and venerate miraculous icons and holy relics. We’ll be able to bring back blessings for our homes and ourselves. We will marvel at the monasteries that were built over a thousand years ago.
Mount Athos is a different world; a place chosen by thousands, a place of hard work, a place of fasting, all night vigil and prayer, a place of peace and communion with God.
When you make this pilgrimage, I’m sure it will be the most unforgettable journey of your life and you will want to go back time and again.
I feel I’ve been blessed to travel the Holy Mountain, on foot as well as by boat, more than 104 times. I’ve had the opportunity to learn about Mount Athos and to know many spiritual Fathers who taught me so much about Orthodoxy and have given me the strength and patience so necessary in our lives.
Each year I organize groups to visit Mount Athos, Vergina, and many other ancient and historic places, such as Meteora, and Veria.
Friday, Oct. 2 – Departure from Los Angeles with a brief stop in Germany to change planes for Thessaloniki
Saturday, Oct. 3 - we arrive in Thessaloniki where our van will meet us and take us to our hotel for the night.
Sunday, Oct. 4 – For those who care to attend, Church services at St. Demetrios Church where we can also venerate St. Demetrios’ relics. In the early afternoon our van will take us to Ouranoupolis. We will stay at a very nice hotel and enjoy an excellent dinner before retiring for the night.
Monday, Oct. 5 – After breakfast, we board the boat for Mount Athos. The first monastery where we stay will be the Serbian Monastery of Hiliandari where there are many miraculous icons and relics.
Tuesday, Oct. 6 – We travel to Zographou Monastery, which is a Bulgarian monastery. We will stay here overnight.
Wednesday, Oct. 7 - We will stop in Daphne, which is the harbor for Mount Athos. Daphne has its own police force, port authority, post office, many shops and restaurants. We’ll wait here for our van to take us to our next destination, which will be Xenophontos Monastery. We will overnight here.
Thursday, Oct. 8 – Today we will visit Nea Skete Monastery and spend the night.
Friday, Oct. 9 – Our next destination will be Kafsokalivia Monastery where we will stay the night
Saturday, Oct. 10 – We will go to Megisti Lavra Monastery, founded by St. Athanasios in 963 AD. We will venerate the icon of Panaghia Koukouzeli celebrated July 5. We will venerate the grave of St. Athanasios and his relics; the relics of St. Basil, a piece of the Holy Cross and many more relics and icons. We will have the opportunity to see the cave where St. Athanasios lived and take with us some of the Holy Water from the well that St. Athanasios, with the help of the Holy Virgin, found. We will overnight here.
Sunday, Oct. 11 - We will go to Vatopaidi Monastery and will stay overnight.
Monday, Oct. 12 - We will go to the Holy Monastery Karakalou, founded in 1071 by the Empress Karakala. The Feast Day celebration is held June 29, The relics found here are a piece of the Holy Cross, the relics of Saint Ignatius, Saint Gideon, St. Barnabas and many more. These are the monasteries where we will stay overnight.
There are many more monasteries we will visit to venerate relics and miraculous icons and receive blessings.
In the center of Karies is the main church of Mount Athos called Protaton, which was built during the 10th century by Constantine the Great. We will visit this church where the miraculous icon “Axion Esti” is kept. This icon illustrates when Archangel Gabriel wrote on a stone tablet the hymn “It is Worthy”, which we sing each Sunday during Liturgy.
Later we will go to the Holy Community in Karies, which is the capital of Mount Athos and has a bank, phone company, post office and many shops.
We will go to Pantokratoros Monastery, Philotheou Monastery and Stavronikita Monastery.
We will also visit the following Sketes: Skete Prophet Elias, Skete of Saint Andrew, Romanian Skete Prodromos, Provata Skete, Milopotamos Skete where they make excellent wine.
The choice of monasteries is subject to change each year.
Tuesday, Oct.13 – We visit Koutloumousiou Monastery and stay overnight.
Wednesday, Oct. 14 – The time has come for us to leave Mount Athos. Each time we leave Mount Athos, we are all sad because we loved being here so much. We say a prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary; board the boat at Daphne at twelve noon to go back to Ouranoupolis. Our van will meet us to take us back to Thessaloniki.
Thursday, Oct. 15 – We will have a free day to shop or relax. In the evening, we will have our Farewell Dinner at the hotel, and get a good night’s sleep
Friday, Oct. 16 – Bright and early in the morning we board our flight back to America. This is our Pilgrimage to Mount Athos. Come with me, my friend. It will be an unforgettable journey.
Theofilos Russos
SPECIAL PILGRIMAGE FEATURES
- Price is $4,950.00 per person, based on double occupancy.
- Round trip, economy class transatlantic transportation on regular scheduled LUFTHANSA flights.
- Land transportation by deluxe private motor coaches
- All rooms with private bath or shower (excluding Mount Athos)
- Meals per itinerary
- Personally escorted transfers from airport to hotel and vice versa.
- All service charges, taxes.
- Sightseeing tours in Thessaloniki per itinerary, including English-Greek speaking Guide.
- Entrance fees to places visited, all transportation within Greece.
- Services of an experienced English-Greek speaking Tour director traveling with group.
- All gratuities included throughout trip, including room, board and gratuities to Monasteries.
Please keep the following in mind:
You must send a non-refundable deposit of $1,000.00 when you make your reservation. The balance of $3,950.00 to be paid no later than 45 days prior to departure. Checks or money orders to be made payable to Theofilos Russos. No credit cards.
Send a clear copy of your passport, a letter from your priest.
You will need long sleeved shirts, long pants and sturdy shoes, a sweater or light jacket No bare feet or sandals.
Take a flashlight; mirror for shaving; toiletries; munchies – granola bars, power bars, nuts or dried fruit.
You are allowed to take a camera, but cannot take pictures in the monasteries without permission from the Abbot. Nor can you take pictures of the monks without their permission. VIDEO CAMERAS ARE NOT ALLOWED.
The airline allows you one suitcase to be put through, not over 50 pounds each. You are allowed one carry on backpack
TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE PILGRIMAGE
DEPOSITS & PAYMENTS: A non-refundable deposit of $1,000.00 per person is required at time of booking. Balance of $3,950.00 due 45 days prior to departure. Payments may be made to THEOFILOS RUSSOS, by check or money order only.
REFUNDS/CANCELLATIONS: No refunds will be made for missed or unused services if cancellation is received less than 30 days prior to departure. Cancellation fees will apply and are non-refundable for any reason, including sickness and other emergencies. (INSURANCE REQUESTED)
DISCLAIMER OF RESPONSIBILITY: The program arrangements in this brochure have been made by Theofilos Russos and he does not own or operate, nor is he an agent for any of the firms which will provide goods and services for the trip, and is not responsible for any loss, injury, accident, delay or damage to you in connection with any accommodations, transportation or services control, including delays, thefts, strikes, breakdowns, political conditions, cancellations or changes in the itinerary, etc.
For further information you may reach me, Theofilos Russos, at any time at:
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