Why Everyone Should Visit A Monastery 

As a Protestant inquirer I’ve really come to admire the monastic order in orthodoxy and orthodoxy as a whole. It’s a branch of Christianity that seems to bare real fruit

you can read about monasticism. But the real movement of the soul is when we spend at least 2-3 days in the monastery.

I was able to work on Mt Athos for 2 weeks with a group where we cleared the footpaths and put up signs that help direct pilgrims. (FOMA, Friends of Mt Athos). Staying for 2 weeks was an incredible experience.

I went to mount Athos once and stayed for a few nights, it's truly amazing, You wake up rush to pray in the church for 3 hours every morning receive the holy Communion, then do work (make beds clean dishes) then go to church, for "esperinon" then sleep, the best was the liturgy at night called "agrypnia" that means sleepless. We prayed from 7pm to 4 am! I loved it! The way I see it, Christianity is like an organic body, monasteries are the fertilizer, we are the wheat.. Protestants are planting seeds, etc etc etc..

Thank you, Panagia. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.

I went last year to Mount Athos. An indescribable experience, I recommend all Orthodox Christians to visit

At some monasteries people attend it like regular church and receive a sermon/ lecture by a priest or abbot there. One of my heroes, Abbot Raphael of Podmaine Monastery in Budva Montenegro is a perfect example, Father Arsenije from Ribnica Monastery in Serbia is another. Both record their lectures and upload them on RU-vid and they are my go to Funny this video has been uploaded since I’ve been considering giving up on normal life to take up monastic life at a monastery. Montenegro is my families ancestral home and I’ve been thinking of visiting and staying there for a while since my priest is from Serbia and knows Abbot Raphael personally ( and Serbo-Croatian is my first language ) My soul definitely needs that kind of rest but to give up on the idea of ever getting married since all I ever wanted to be since I was a boy was to become a husband is very daunting Love the content, please keep it coming. Much brotherly love 💚💚💚

I'm in the USA and Mt. Athos is a shining light about Godly men. I LOVE knowing that there are men focused on pleasing Jesus. Not allowing women there is wise as it would cause way too many problems as one can imagine. From my own experiences in life, loving and focusing on Christ's ways are the only way to really LIVE healthfully and FULLY. I lived another life before calling out to Jesus at almost 30 yo. Night and day difference. I thank Jesus all day long for saving me and healing me. I am His. Thank you so much for this wonderful enriching video.😊

"i hate that question" 😂😂😂😂 gosh i feel the same way as him about that one

What a beautiful video and man. I appreciate this channel- the Lord used this man awhile back to open my heart to Orthodoxy

Love it! I would love to visit a monastery, and take a week or more to watch, listen, pray, worship, converse, serve, help, and participate as appropriate for a Christian that is not of the Eastern Orthodox tradition!

The way he lit up when talking about the restaurants with huge portions and large beers. Sounds like such an amazing experience. I really have been drawn to Orthodox Christianity, just the beautiful level of dedicated worship to our Lord. This gives me such joy to just watch.

My goal is to visit Greece in 2025, and would love to visit Mt Athos. I pray that I’m accepted there to visit.

There are some fantastic documentaries about Mt. Athos here on RU-vid, such an interesting and (for me) alluring place.

Love the point made about the question "How it's gooing". If we take the time to hear someone out, it's a important question..

I have never visited a monastery, but I sure wish to!

I quite enjoyed Father James talk on Mount Athos, and would love to hear his thoughts on the importance of the Optina monastery and the monastery of Valaam in relation to the life and spirituality of the Orthodox Church.

I wanna send money to my Greek brothers, it is a miracle Mount Athos survive the bloody Turkish islamic invation wich destroyed Constantinople and Anatolia , one day Constantinople will be Greek and Christian again as Mount Athos already is ☦

I'll be making a trip to my local vihara very soon!

Thank you!!🥰☦️💙

Unrelated, but you guys need a professional logo asap. This channel is taking off 🚀

We do have Benedictine monks in the United States. ☦️

We do have Benedictine monks in the United States

💜

Hello! I have been interested in orthodoxy for a little while now and I wondered if you could answer some questions I have about it, between my own research and some other things I feel as though I’ve only dipped my toe in the water so to speak and I would love to know more

This is really interesting. Is Mt Athos for orthodox christians only or other denominations? Does one need to petition for a visit there, or is visiting on a kind of lottery system? I wish I could visit there, but I understand its men only, and I respect that.

St sophrony's monastery is a 40 monute drive from me, and i think there are women and men there?

Is there a female version of Mt Athos?

Wait did he say beer ?

hermits trying the escape the world.

Stayed in a monastery for 3 days. Some of the worst, arrogant and most condescending and hateful people I ever met. Also, monasticism isn't in the Old Testament. All saints in the OT were married. If beeing celibate is the holiest way to God there would be saints in Israel who were monks. God made Adam and Eve husband and wife, and his first commandment was for them to multiply. He didn't make them monks. Orthodoxy is more about asceticism than beeing a good man. Monks don't even get to do good works because they are secluded. It's all about tormenting yourself as much as possible and calling it holy. This is not what Christ taught.