Great Lavra

The Great Lavra is a historic monastery located on Mount Athos in Greece, founded in 963 AD by Saint Athanasius the Athonite. It is the oldest and most prominent monastery on the peninsular monastic community, serving as a spiritual center for Eastern Orthodox Christianity. The monastery features impressive architecture, a rich collection of religious manuscripts and icons, and plays a vital role in religious life, scholarship, and monastic traditions. It functions as a self-governing monastic state under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and is a UNESCO World Heritage site, symbolizing centuries of religious devotion and cultural heritage.