Mount Athos

The Holy Mountain, also known as Mount Athos, is an organized monastic community. Its history begins in the 10th century and lives on, uninterrupted, to date.

Simonos Petras

The Sacred Monastery of Simonos Petras (Simonopetra), is one of the twenty sovereign Sacred Monasteries on the Holy Mountain. Its history begins in 1254 AD, since its founding by St Simon.

Simonopetra's Dependencies

9 Dependencies (6 in Greece & 3 in France)

3 nunneries spiritually shepherded by Simonopetra (1 in Greece & 2 in France)

Range of Activities & Supporting Causes

Retain, maintain and develop the cultural heritage of Simonopetra (monuments, art relics, archives).

Learn more about Simonopetra’s Intervention / Management plan

Support the work of Simonopetra's dependencies outside the Holy Mountain.

Support the Ormylia Foundation (the social ministry arm of the Coenobium of the Annunciation).
In 1982, Simonopetra and the Sacred Coenobium of the “Annunciation of the Mother of God” established the center “Panagia Philanthropini” (meaning “All Holy the Philanthropist”) with the financial contribution of the Hatzipateras family.
In 2006 a charity organization, named “Ormylia Foundation”, was founded per Law 3440 / 2006.
The purposes of the Foundation’s establishment are:
- Engage in preventive medicine, advancement of medical research, offering of medical care and development of social ministries to the populace of the wider region.
- Scientific diagnosis, protection and documentation of items of Art and Cultural Heritage.

Support the philanthropic and educational work of Simonopetra on a collective and an individual level.

Provide assistance (financial, technical and in human resources) to missions in Africa, Korea, Taiwan, South America
Make donations to other charities dedicated to social ministry, Church construction in remote areas, refuge assistance.
Grant student scholarships.

Humanitarian aid

Support and solidarity in various forms of / toward the Orthodox Christians

Simonopetra’s Intervention / Management plan

The Holy Mountain, as a venue of unique, spiritual, cultural, and ecological interest, attracts pilgrims and tourists, as well as scientists and researchers from the whole world. This influx of men causes additional pressure on the already burdened – by lack of adequate maintenance and protection for the buildings and the treasures –current posture of the Mountain.

This exceptional place – bearing hundreds of years of history and life – is, by now, under the pressure of the adamant need for a master plan consisting of mature and responsible interventions aiming at a, duly resistant-to-time, presence of the Holy Mountain engulfed in efficient protection and preservation measures; this, securing that the monastic life, as a practice of what is to be found in the other world, namely, the life of worship, as communion with God, and the productive activity as a dialogue with nature, as fruit of experience, as respect and management of what has been created and, its Creator.

Rehabilitation of the Daphne Building Complex

This project relates to the rehabilitation of the building infrastructure (a total of 4600 m2) and of the surrounding area owned by Simonopetra in Daphne.

Water Resources Management Plan

In the Holy Monastery of Simonos Petras a hydrogeological and hydrological research is curried out under the supervision of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. More specific the Laboratory of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology of the Department of Geology supports the water recourse management, the chemical laboratory and the environmental monitoring of the site in order to ensure the sustainable water supply of the Holy Monastery.