The Athos Memory / Awareness Program of Simonopetra
An iconic contribution of Simonopetra to grassroots Greek Orthodoxy is its Athos Memory / Awareness Program. The Program – addressed to all and instrumental to noble searches – aims at dynamically archiving and preserving significant elements of Simonopetite – and, more generally, Athonite – toils and achievements pertaining to the nature of Hagion Oros [Greek for “Holy Mountain”], per se, and the spiritual and art-oriented pursuits of the monastic peninsula.
Most of these elements have been digitized and suitably guarded, against all foreseeable dangers, comprising a forever true treasure of Greek Orthodoxy, in its very cradle.
Much of the digitized material is available to interested parties at http://athosmemory.blogspot.com
More specifically, this unique and treasured program comprises of the following:
The Hagiorite (i.e., “of the Holy Mountain”) Photogaphy Archives:
Established in the early 1990’s this program aims at preserving and showcasing the Athonite Photographic Tradition by laboriously tracing and collecting pertinent material from Greek and foreign sources who, over the centuries, diligently dealt with such. It includes rich samples of old photographic techniques, a large number of (albumen etc) glass plates, negative films, printed photographs, in general, items that pertain to hagiorite photography from 1853 to date. More at athos photoarchive plan
The Hagiorite Portrait Collection:
It is a specialized section of the Hagiorite Photography Archives detailing – and authenticating– athonite monks per, a minimum of one, person-specific portraits. More at athos prosopography
Τhe Hagiorite Art Gallery:
The Gallery includes artwork by Greek and foreign artists depicting the Holy Mountain in all aspects. More at athos artarchive
The Hagiorite Copperplating Collection:
Included in the Art Gallery is a collection of Etching Art items of archetypal significance, labored on over the 18 th and 19 th centuries, a period during which the Holy Mountain was a prime center of copperplating, as well as Greek landscape and Christian arts. More at athos Copperplating
The Hagiorite Library:
Simonopetra searches for, collects and digitizes Bibliography relating to the Holy Mountain; such becoming freely accessible and available, in PDF form, to those involved in pertinent searches. More at athos library
Τhe Hagiorite Cartographic Map Archives:
Managing for public presentation cartographic maps of the Holy Mountain dating from the 16 th to the 20 th centuries. More at athos maplibrary
The Saints of Athos:
Simonopetrite monks duly record and archive icons and murals of Holy Mountain saints including relevant photographs and documentation. More at saints of mount athos
The Hagiorite Audio Archives:
It presents the hagiorite melodists and their work. In collaboration with Masters of the Chanting Art (G. Th. Stathis) it pioneered the direct digitization of ecclesiastical music, per Athonite Melodists. More at athos soundarchive
The Hagiorite Video Archives:
Curators of some of the most prominent cinematographic presentations of the Holy Mountain since 1913 and to date More at athos movie archive
The Hagiorite Herb Archives:
Managing for public presentation a rich collection of Athonite flora in desiccated form. More at athos herbarium
The Holy Mountain Fungi Survey:
Complete scientific and hands-on presentation of all Mount Athos fungi, including detailed descriptions and photographs. More at fungi of mount athos