The Monastery of Vatopedi is found with a double spelling: the first version “Vatopedi” comes from “vatos” and “pedinos”, while the second “Vatopedi” comes from “vatos” and “pedion”. There are several versions as to the exact date of its establishment. According to a tradition, its founder was Constantine the Great (361-363) and then Theodosios the Great (379-395). Historical sources testify that the re-establishment of the Monastery took place by the Adrianople lords Athanasios, Nikolaos and Antonios, students of Agios Athanasios the Athonite, who motivated them to re-establish the Monastery. The evidence that exists mentions as its abbot in 985 someone named Nikolaos, who was succeeded in the years 1020-1048 by Athanasios and in 1142 by Antonios. As deduced from the historical data, the re-establishment of the Monastery of Vatopedi is placed between the years 972-985.
Second in the hierarchy of the monasteries of Mount Athos, the Holy Monastery of Vatopedi is an imposing complex of monuments, which is awe-inspiring as it is surrounded by a high wall and buildings organized in the shape of a triangle. The central church of the Monastery is the Church of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, while the relics found inside the Monastery are remarkable, such as the holy Belt of the Lady Theotokos, which is kept reverently in an all-gold case, the legendary glass “Jasper” and many other relics with royal inscriptions. In the central church one can admire the interior mosaics – the only ones of their kind on Mount Athos, as well as the frescoes, which were painted in 1312, constituting a special point of reference of the Paleologian Renaissance. The Vatopedi Monastery includes a total of 31 chapels, of which 12 are located outside the Monastery.
Today, the Monastery is inhabited by about 120 monks and stands out for its activities. It has flourished in recent decades, featuring a candle shop, a tailor shop, a carpentry workshop, heirloom conservation workshops, craft workshops and more.
