# Zograf Monastery

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Eastern Orthodox monastery, Mount Athos

For other uses, see [Zograf (disambiguation)](/source/Zograf_(disambiguation)) and [Zografou (disambiguation)](/source/Zografou_(disambiguation)).

Zografou Monastery Ζωγράφου External view of the monastery Location within Greece Interactive map of Zografou Monastery Monastery information Full name Holy Monastery of Zografou Order Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople Denomination Bulgarian Orthodox Church Established Late 9th or early 10th century, 919 in some sources Dedication Saint George Diocese Mount Athos People Founders Moses, Aaron and John (all from Ohrid) Architecture Status Monastery Functional status Active Site Location Mount Athos, North Aegean, Greece Coordinates 40°18′21″N 24°09′37″E / 40.30583°N 24.16028°E / 40.30583; 24.16028 Public access Men only Website zograf.eu

The **Saint George the Zograf Monastery** or **Zograf Monastery** ([Greek](/source/Greek_language): Μονή Ζωγράφου, *Moní Zográphou*; [Bulgarian](/source/Bulgarian_language): Зографски манастир) is one of the twenty [Eastern Orthodox](/source/Eastern_Orthodox_Church) [monasteries](/source/Monastery) in [Mount Athos](/source/Mount_Athos) (the "Holy Mountain") in the [North Aegean](/source/North_Aegean) region of [Greece](/source/Greece). It was founded in the late 9th or early 10th century by three [Bulgarians](/source/Bulgarians) from [Ohrid](/source/Ohrid) and is regarded as the historical Bulgarian monastery on Mount Athos, and is traditionally inhabited by [Bulgarian Orthodox](/source/Bulgarian_Orthodox_Church) [monks](/source/Monk).[1]

The monastery is named after the 13th or 14th century icon of [Saint George](/source/Saint_George), known as Saint George the Zograf (Светѝ Гео̀рги Зогра̀ф). The name of the latter comes from the belief that the icon [mysteriously painted itself on the prepared board](/source/Acheiropoieta) (*zograf(os)* in Greek means "painter" (from *zoe*="life" and *graphos*="scribe").

## History

The earliest written evidence of the monastery's existence dates from 980. During the [Middle Ages](/source/Middle_Ages), the monastery was generously supported by the Bulgarian rulers, such as [Ivan Asen II](/source/Ivan_Asen_II_of_Bulgaria) and [Ivan Alexander](/source/Ivan_Alexander_of_Bulgaria), since it was a matter of pride for the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to maintain a monastery on Athos. The Zograf Monastery has also received land endowments by [Byzantine](/source/List_of_Byzantine_Emperors) (the first donor being [Leo VI the Wise](/source/Leo_VI_the_Wise)) and [Serbian](/source/List_of_Serbian_monarchs) rulers.[2]

The Zograf Monastery was plundered and burnt down by [Crusaders](/source/Crusaders), working under orders from the [Byzantine emperor](/source/Byzantine_emperor) [Michael VIII Palaiologos](/source/Michael_VIII_Palaiologos), in 1275, resulting in the death of 26 monks. These included the [igumen](/source/Igumen) ([abbot](/source/Abbot)) Thomas, as well as the monks Barsanuphius, Cyril, Micah, Simon, Hilarion, James, Job, Cyprian, Sabbas, James, Martinian, Cosmas, Sergius, Paul, Menas, Ioasaph, Ioanicius, Anthony, Euthymius, Dometian, Parthenius, and four laymen.[3]

The reason for this attack was the opposition of the Athonite monks to the [Union of Lyons](/source/Second_Council_of_Lyon), which the Emperor had supported for political reasons. Having hanged the [Protos](/source/Protos_(monastic_office)) (the elected president of Mount Athos), and having killed many monks in [Vatopedi](/source/Vatopedi), [Iveron](/source/Iveron) and other monasteries, the Latins attacked Zographou. Their [martyrdom](/source/Martyr) is commemorated annually on October 10 (October 23 on the [Gregorian Calendar](/source/Gregorian_Calendar)) throughout the Eastern Orthodox Church.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

[Mercenaries](/source/Mercenaries) of the [Catalan Grand Company](/source/Catalan_Grand_Company) raided the Holy Mountain for two years (1307–9), sacking many monasteries, plundering the treasures of Christendom, and terrorising the monks. Of the 300 monasteries on Athos at the beginning of the 14th century, only 35 were left by the end.[4] But the monastery recovered quickly with the help of grants and support from the [Palaeologue Emperors](/source/Palaiologos) and the princes of the [Moldavian](/source/Moldavia) and [Wallachian](/source/Wallachia) Principalities. The buildings were reconstructed in the late 13th century with the financial aid of Byzantine Emperor [Andronicus II Palaeologus](/source/Andronicus_II_Palaeologus). The monastery was also given numerous *[metochia](/source/Metochia)* (properties) in parts of Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, and modern-day Turkey, but retains today only those in Greece.

The monastery exists in its modern appearance since the 16th century, while its present-day buildings date from the middle 18th century. The south wing was built in 1750, the east in 1758, the small church was erected in 1764 and the large one in 1801. The north and west wing are from the second half of the 19th century and large-scale construction ended in 1896 with the [Saints Cyril and Methodius](/source/Saints_Cyril_and_Methodius) Church and the raising of the [bell tower](/source/Bell_tower).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Interior view

Among the numerous [relics](/source/Relic) and other holy objects treasured at the monastery is the [Wonderworking](/source/Wonderworking) [Icon](/source/Icon) of the [Theotokos](/source/Theotokos) "Of the [Akathist](/source/Akathist)," the [feast day](/source/Feast_day) of which is celebrated on October 10. Since Mount Athos uses the traditional [Julian Calendar](/source/Julian_Calendar), the day they celebrate as October 10 currently falls on October 23 of the modern [Gregorian Calendar](/source/Gregorian_Calendar). Today the Monastery has 15 monks.[5]

## Library

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See also: [List of libraries in Greece](/source/List_of_libraries_in_Greece)

Page from the *[Codex Zographensis](/source/Codex_Zographensis)*

The Zograf Monastery houses a [library](/source/Library) of major significance to [Bulgarian culture](/source/Culture_of_Bulgaria), preserving [medieval](/source/Medieval) [manuscripts](/source/Manuscript) such as a 15th-century copy of the passional of [Saint Naum of Ohrid](/source/Saint_Naum), the 14th-century passional of [Saint Paraskevi](/source/Parascheva_of_the_Balkans), the original draft of [Paisius of Hilendar](/source/Paisius_of_Hilendar)'s *[Istoriya Slavyanobolgarskaya](/source/Istoriya_Slavyanobolgarskaya)*, and the *History of Zograf*. The monastic library contains 388 manuscripts in [Church Slavonic](/source/Church_Slavonic) and 126 in Greek, as well as about 10,000 printed books altogether. Two [medieval Bulgarian royal charters](/source/Medieval_Bulgarian_royal_charters), the Zograf Charter and the Rila Charter, were discovered in the monastery's library.

## Honours

[Zograf Peak](/source/Zograf_Peak) on [Livingston Island](/source/Livingston_Island) in the [South Shetland Islands](/source/South_Shetland_Islands), Antarctica is named after the Zograf Monastery.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

The monastery and its seal are depicted on the [obverse](/source/Obverse_and_reverse) of the Bulgarian 2 [levs](/source/Bulgarian_lev) banknote, issued in 1999 and 2005.[6]

On March 21, 2011, the Bulgarian National Bank issued a commemorative silver coin with nominal value of 10 [levs](/source/Bulgarian_lev) featuring the monastery.[7]

## Gallery

		- Photo of 1853

		- French mission in the monastery, 1917, during [WWI](/source/WWI)

		- Main entrance

		- View from the bell tower

		- Exterior view

		- The inner court

		- The anchorage of the monastery

## See also

- [Christianity portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Christianity)
- [Greece portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Greece)

- [Bulgarian Orthodox Church](/source/Bulgarian_Orthodox_Church)

- [List of monasteries in Greece](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Monasteries_in_Greece)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Dennis P. Hupchick](/source/Dennis_P._Hupchick) (1993) The Bulgarians in the Seventeenth Century Slavic Orthodox Society and Culture Under Ottoman Rule; [McFarland](/source/McFarland_%26_Company), [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780899508221](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780899508221), pp. 94-96.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["The Holy Monastery of Zografou | Mount Athos Monasteries"](https://www.christian-pilgrimage-journeys.com/mount-athos/monasteries/holy-monastery-zografou/). *www.christian-pilgrimage-journeys.com*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20241105165414/https://www.christian-pilgrimage-journeys.com/mount-athos/monasteries/holy-monastery-zografou/) from the original on 2024-11-05. Retrieved 2025-12-29.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["26 Monastic Martyrs of Zographou Monastery on Mount Athos"](https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2022/10/10/108024-26-monastic-martyrs-of-zographou-monastery-on-mount-athos). *www.oca.org*. Retrieved 2025-12-29.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** "Athos in the ancient Greek period", [*The History of Mount Athos*](https://web.archive.org/web/20101021081733/http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Athos/General/AthosHistory.html), Macedonian Heritage, 2000, archived from [the original](http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr/Athos/General/AthosHistory.html) on October 21, 2010, retrieved 2007-10-24

1. **[^](#cite_ref-MA.GR-Zographou_5-0)** ["Zographou"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160314055450/http://www.mountathos.gr/active.aspx?mode=en{7475eec7-5c43-4d1a-81cb-7fe70c76416a}View). *mountathos.gr*. 14 March 2016. Archived from [the original](http://www.mountathos.gr/active.aspx?mode=en{7475eec7-5c43-4d1a-81cb-7fe70c76416a}View) on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [Bulgarian National Bank](http://www.bnb.bg). Notes and Coins in Circulation: [2 levs](http://www.bnb.bg/bnb/notes_coins.nsf/vNotesCoins/CA9CED4AF282A1D5C2256B51003606F1?OpenDocument&EN) (1999 issue) & [2 levs](http://www.bnb.bg/bnb/notes_coins.nsf/vNotesCoins/50629E4972248ABBC22570CF0032A992?OpenDocument&EN) (2005 issue). – Retrieved on 26 March 2009.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Coin Update News](http://news.coinupdate.com/zograf-monastery-silver-commemorative-coin-0744/) Zograf Monastery Silver Commemorative Coin

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Zograf Monastery](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Zograf_Monastery).

- [Zograf Monastery](http://www.sveta-gora-zograph.com/) (in Bulgarian)

- [Zograf Monastery at Pravoslavieto.com](http://www.pravoslavieto.com/manastiri/aton/zograph/index.htm) (in Bulgarian)

- [Zographou Monastery at the Mount Athos website](https://web.archive.org/web/20160314055450/http://www.mountathos.gr/active.aspx?mode=en%7B7475eec7-5c43-4d1a-81cb-7fe70c76416a%7DView)

- [26 Martyrs of the Zographou Monastery on Mt. Athos at the hands of the Crusaders](http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=108024) Orthodox [icon](/source/Icon) and [synaxarion](/source/Synaxarion).

- [The Holy Martyrs of Zographou](https://web.archive.org/web/20041025170217/http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/my.html?day=10&month=October) from *The Prologue from Ohrid*.

v t e Mount Athos Monasteries (by precedence) Great Lavra Vatopedi Iviron Hilandar Dionysiou Koutloumousiou Pantokratoros Xeropotamou Zograf Docheiariou Karakallou Philotheou Simonopetra Agiou Pavlou Stavronikita Xenophontos Osiou Gregoriou Esphigmenou St. Panteleimon Konstamonitou Amalfinon Sketes Agias Annas Agias Triados Timiou Prodromou Agiou Andrea Agiou Dimitriou [el] Timiou Prodromou Iviron [el] Agiou Panteleimonos Profiti Ilia New Skete (Theotokou) Lakkoskiti (Agiou Dimitriou tou Lakkou) Evangelismou tis Theotokou Bogoroditsa Settlements Karyes Dafni Vigla Agios Nilos Kerasia Saint Basil Kafsokalyvia Karoulia Katounakia Vouleftiria Little St. Anne's Provata Morfonou Mylopotamos Kapsala Geography Antiathonas Karmilio Oros Desert of Mount Athos Relics and icons Axion Estin Cincture of the Theotokos Panagia Portaitissa Trojeručica Other topics Footpaths Postal stamps and history Protaton Protos Civil Administrator

v t e Monasteries in Greece Aegean Islands Active Agiou Pavlou Dionysiou Docheiariou Esphigmenou Hilandar Saint Ignatius Iviron Karakallou Konstamonitou Koutloumousiou Great Lavra Osiou Gregoriou St. Panteleimon Pantokratoros Philotheou Simonopetra Stavronikita Vatopedi Xenophontos Xeropotamou Zograf Inactive / ruins Amalfinon Central Greece Daphnion Crete Agarathos Agia Triada Agios Panteleimon Arkadi Chrysoskalitissa Gonia Gouverneto Halevi Kapsa Keras Kardiotissas Preveli Toplou Varsamonerou Vosako Vrontisi Epirus Active Panagia Molybdoskepastos Inactive / ruins Saint Paraskevi Macedonia Vlatades Peloponnese Active Agia Lavra Makelaria Panayia Yiatrissa Peribleptos Inactive / ruins Brontochion Panagia Katakekrymeni-Portokalousa Pantanassa Thessaly Active Great Meteoron Holy Trinity Panagia Olympiotissa Saint Stephen Varlaam Inactive / ruins St. Anthony St. Dimitrios St. George of Mandila [bg] St. Gregory [bg] Holy Apostles Holy Archangels [bg] Holy Monastery St. John of Bunilas St. John the Baptist Kallistratou Makrinitissa St. Modestus St. Nicholas Anapausas St. Nicholas of Mpantovas Panagia of Mikani Pantocrator Apostle Peter's Chains Rousanou St. Theodore Ypapantis Ypsilotera Western Greece Presentation of the Theotokos, Myrtia Saint Nicholas, Spata Thrace Theotokos Kosmosoteira Greece portal Monasteries in Greece Christianity in Greece Monasteries by country

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Zograf Monastery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zograf_Monastery) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zograf_Monastery?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.