This is an illustrated history of the monasteries of Greece. The book starts in the Egyptian desert at St Catherine's on Mount Sinai, where the "Desert Fathers" exercised an early influence over subsequent eastern orthodoxy. It moves on to discuss numerous and varied monasteries in mainland and island Greece, including those on Patmos, Crete and Egina, and those of Hosias Loukos and Agnountos, both west of Athens. The book discusses in detail the Theocratic Republic of Mount Athos, where orthodox monasticism has been jealously guarded since the late Byzantine era. The monasteries are magnificently sited on a rocky promontory and contain a wealth of frescoes, religious artefacts and important manuscripts. The book also covers the so-called monasteries in the air at Meteora in central Greece. The remaining six monasteries are perched towering on huge rock pinnacles, with access only possible by rope, ladders or makeshift scaffolding lashed to the vertical rock faces. The book presents a detailed architectural and theological history of the monasteries of Greece and is illustrated with photographs of the buildings, their treasures and the landscapes in which they are constructed.
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No traveler to Greece can fail to be enraptured by the monasteries, which are often built along sheer rock walls, that crown and often transform the primal landscapes. The monasteries of the Meteora region in northern mainland Greece are like the famed aeries of Tibetan Buddhism, seemingly sprouted from stone on impossible promontories. Also, like their Himalayan counterparts, the more spectacularly-sited Greek hermitages have become prized tourist destinations and their occupants summertime tour guides. In this coffee table book by photojournalist Chris Hellier, the world-famous spots such as the Roussanou Monastery are given their due treatment with splendid photographs. As a bonus, the author also writes authoritatively about the Eastern Orthodox Church, its history, and its powerful hold on the people of these mountainous, remote areas.
Review
For pure vicarious pleasure, this animated and illuminating tour of the religious communities of the Byzantine Empire is a transporting experience. -- The New York Times Book Review, Martin Filler
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