Prodromos (Mount Athos)

The Skete of Prodromos, also known by its Romanian name Schitul Prodromu and the Latinized exonym Moldavian Skete Prodromos, is a significant Romanian cenobitic skete situated on Mount Athos, Greece. It falls under the spiritual jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and is administratively affiliated with the Great Lavra Monastery, the oldest monastery on the Holy Mountain. The skete's name, 'Prodromos,' is Greek for 'The Forerunner,' a cognomen of St. John the Baptist, to whom it is dedicated.

History and Establishment

The roots of Romanian monastic presence at this location can be traced to around 1750, with a few monks living in seclusion near a chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Around 1800, hermits like Iustin the Vlach resided there. The desire to establish a more formal skete grew as the number of Romanian monks increased. Hieromonk Iustin sought permission from Great Lavra to expand their cell into a skete, but he died in 1816 before this could be realized. His successors obtained a deed in 1820, outlining the conditions for a coenobitic skete belonging to Great Lavra. The Greek Revolution of 1821 temporarily halted these plans. Later, monks Nifon and Nectarie found the deed and, in 1851, purchased the cell from Greek monks. With support from Prince Grigore Alexandru Ghica and metropolitans, the establishment finally received approval from Patriarch Cyril VII of Constantinople in 1856.

Architecture and Features

The construction of the skete's main church, consecrated to the Baptism of Jesus, commenced in 1857 and concluded in 1866. The church is notable for its three domes and interior paintings executed in a Renaissance-inspired style, characteristic of 19th-century Romanian art. A 23-meter high belfry stands over the main entrance, alongside a chapel dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos. The skete also houses a significant library with over 5,000 volumes and approximately 200 manuscripts, including a ten-volume history of the Holy Mountain written by monk Irinarh Șișman. Among its revered possessions is the icon of Theotokos 'Acheiropoieta' (Prodromița), widely considered miraculous. Traditional Athonite burial practices are observed, with a single gravesite and subsequent exhumation and bone storage in an ossuary. The skete currently hosts 35 monks.