Elevate January 2017 | Air Serbia

Fijala, krstionica koja se nalazi u manastirskom dvorištu Pinnacles, crosses located in the monastery yard

HOLY MOUNTAIN (MOUNT ATHOS) The Holy Mountain is the state of Ort- hodox monks that has existed for more than a thousand years. Located on Mo- unt Athos, a 2,033-metre-tall mountain, it is on the third ‘finger’ of the Halkidiki Peninsula in northern Greece. It is the seat of 20 Orthodox monasteries un- der Greek sovereignty. The administra- tive centre of Karyes is the seat of the Governor, as the representative of the Greek government. Spiritually, Mount Athos is under the direct jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constanti- nople. Women are expressly forbidden from visiting this peninsula. and a slice of Earth in Heaven”. There intersect time and eternity, heaven and earth, divinity and humanity. The least I could and can do is to try to record and capture that won- der with my photos. While touring these monasteries I also discovered the Pan-Slavic and the Pan-Orthodox identity, a unique philosophical and cultural form. The monks separated themselves from worldly things and restricted themselves to a physically enclosed space, but they retained the

right for infinity to belong to them via the sea. It is also in this kind of choice that the key lies to the joint Slavic and Orthodox desire for the freedom that is only granted in its entirety by God. The monasteries of Mount Athos are an endless source of inspiration. The colourful walls, dynamic façades, steeples, rosettes, courtyards, gardens, staircases, towers, lofts... Everything is a beauty that I wanted to grab in the moment and for that moment never to pass. As much as the elements are unique, so they are alike. Everything indicates the joy of life and a love for God and the world. Hilandar Monastery is one of the most important centres of Serbian culture and spirituality. Within it is preserved the richest collection of original old manuscripts, icons, fres- coes, such that it today represents the most important treasury of Ser- bian medieval culture generally. My need to make a pilgrimage to the Ho- ly Mountain is actually the result of a desire to share this extraordinary experience and beauty with all those who want to learn or be reminded of the wealth of Slavic and Orthodox spirituality and culture.

Otac Kiril i Miša Branković: otac Kiril je u manastiru više od tri decenije i jedan je od najstarijih monaha u Hilandaru Father Kiril and Miša Branković: Father Kiril has spent more than three decades at the monastery and is among the oldest monks at Hilandar

Holy Mountain is an empire without a crown, A state without an army A country without women Wealth without money Wisdom without school A kitchen without meat Prayer without end A connection with heaven without interruption A hymn to Christ without tiring Death without regret... Holy Bishop Nikolaj Velimirović

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