Cordial meeting of Serbian First Hierarch with monks and nuns from Greece

His Holiness IRINEJ, Serbian Patriarch received today at the Serbian Patriarchate monks from the Simonopetra monastery on  Mount Athos and nuns from the Ormylia monastery.

The Simonopetra monastery is located on the southwest slope of the Holy Mount Athos, on one of high rocks revealed on three sides. The monastery was founded in XIII century by St. Venerable Simon. A great contribution to the construction of the monastery the Serbian ruler Jovan Ugljesha gave as a token of gratitude for the healing of his daughter.

He himself became later a monk of this brotherhood. The monastery was destroyed several times (by fires in 1581 and 1621) and was ravaged by barbarians, but he was constantly restored.

The Main Cathedral church is devoted to the Nativity of Christ (January 7, according to the Gregorian calendar).

The Ormylia monastery is located in Greece. The feast day of St. Mary Magdalene is one of St. Patron's Days of the Ormylia monastery, in which is also a paraklis devoted to this Saint.

The nuns of this monastery work with embroidery.