Greece has allocated 5.3 million euros for the restoration of monasteries on Mount Athos

The authorities of Central Macedonia have decided to allocate 5.3 million euros from European Union funds for large-scale restoration work on Mount Athos. These funds, secured through the ESPA program, will be used to restore architectural monuments and infrastructure at seven monasteries and sketes, according to eeod.gr.

The regional governor signed the relevant funding documents for the monasteries of Karakall, Kutlumush, Xenophontos, the Great Lavra, Simonopetra, St. Paul, and the skete of St. Anne. The main objective of the project is to preserve cultural heritage sites from the 16th–18th centuries, many of which are currently in a state of disrepair.

The restoration plans include a wide range of work: from the restoration of cathedrals and towers to the repurposing of outbuildings. Specifically, at the Simonopetra Monastery, there are plans to convert the old oil mill into an exhibition hall and icon-painting workshops, while at the Monastery of St. Paul, facilities will be created to care for elderly residents. The cell of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God at the Great Lavra, which has long been abandoned, will also require special attention.

According to the region’s governor, the key goal of the initiative is to ensure the safety and functionality of the monastic complexes for both the monastics and the numerous pilgrims, whose numbers on Mount Athos have increased by a third over the past year.