Esphigmenou Monastery

The Sacred Patriarchal and Stauropegic Monastery Esphigmenou (Greek: Ιερά Πατριαρχική και Σταυροπηγιακή Μονή Εσφιγμένου) is an Eastern Orthodox monastery in the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece, dedicated to the Ascension of Christ. It is built next to the sea at the northern part of the Athonite peninsula. Located near the Hilandar monastery, it is the northernmost of all Athonite monasteries. The current monastery dates back to the 10th century, while tradition holds that the site had b…