church services
Attend the church services: they are the center of the life in the Mount Athos monasteries and sketae. For proper attendance to church services, please consult the Respect section. These services normally take place in the following fashion: An afternoon service, known as "Vespers" to Orthodox, which in most monasteries takes place from 5 PM to 6 PM, but in some monasteries and sketae this time may vary. A morning service, known as "Matins" or Orthros, which begins at 4 AM, and blends into the Divine Liturgy until it ends at about 7 AM. An All-Night Vigil, only available on nights of major Orthodox feasts or the feast of the saint to which the concerning monastery is dedicated. For a list of monasteries' feast dates, check here note that dates are in the Julian calendar, so you have to add 13 days to get the dates right.
An afternoon service, known as "Vespers" to Orthodox, which in most monasteries takes place from 5 PM to 6 PM, but in some monasteries and sketae this time may vary.
A morning service, known as "Matins" or Orthros, which begins at 4 AM, and blends into the Divine Liturgy until it ends at about 7 AM.
An All-Night Vigil, only available on nights of major Orthodox feasts or the feast of the saint to which the concerning monastery is dedicated. For a list of monasteries' feast dates, check here note that dates are in the Julian calendar, so you have to add 13 days to get the dates right.
relics
Venerate the relics: each monastery and skete has precious relics available for veneration, which normally are available during or immediately after church services. In order to properly venerate the relics, please consult the Respect section.
Athos Desert
Cross the Athos Desert: it is the terrain between Megisti Lavra and/or Prodromos skete and Agia Anna skete. This terrain is very wild, completely devoid of roads, populated by hermits and/or hesychasts, but of inmense spiritual beauty for believers. The crossing -by foot- normally takes about 6 hours.
Climb Mount Athos' summit: this can only be reasonably achieved departing from Agia Anna skete during summer. Climbing from the skete to the summit and coming back takes about 8 hours.