The cells of the Monastery

The kellion is a monastic annex, which is a type of rural residence, which has a church in the interior as well as a territorial area. It is granted by document from the dominant Monastery to three persons. The kellionites support themselves by cultivating the land granted to them, and by their handicrafts, which are usually iconography and wood carving. In the wider area of ​​the Vatopedi Monastery there are a number of scattered cells, which are either isolated or in sparse residential formations, such as that of Kolitsou, of Aigyptadiko or Gyftadiko and of the area of ​​Skamni tou Igoumenou. Their churches belong for the most part to the condensed cruciform type with various variations and have the niches inscribed in the eastern wall. They are usually covered with a low or hemispherical dome without a drum. Some cells were quite organized, as they had independent buildings that were used as stables, haylofts and workshops.

The cells of the Vatopedi Monastery

Around the tower of Kolitsou, which dominates the top of the hills east of the Monastery, are the following eight cells: of Ypapanti, of Agioi Pantos, of Agios Stefanos, of the Archangels, of the Holy Forerunner, of Agia Anna, of Agios Georgios and of Agios Anargyros. The tower is probably located on the site of the Byzantine Monastery of Kaletzios. It is a four-story structure, with solid external walls, in the basement of which there was a cistern, while on the upper level there was a chapel. Today, some remains of the buildings that surrounded it are still preserved.

On the right bank of the Platanari stream are scattered the cells of Agios Hypatios, Agios Prokopios, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary and Agios Ioannis the Theologian. The church of Agios Prokopios is noteworthy, which probably dates back to the 12th century. It is a complex cruciform church with a narthex and catechumens with a chapel on the upper floor. It does not retain its original dome and has undergone repairs and alterations to its original form. On the west side of the church is an attached two-story cell, which dates back to the mid-19th century and has a multi-workshop building.

To the south of the hermitage of Saint Demetrius are the cells of Saint Prokopios, the Dormition of the Virgin Mary and the Archangels. Even higher up, in the area of ​​the Abbot's Stool, are the cells of Saint Nicholas, the Three Hierarchs, Saint Constantine and the Presentation of the Virgin Mary.

Near the borders with the Monasteries of Pantokrator and Kastamonito are the cells of Saint Nicholas and Prophet Elias, which bear the name Egyptian or Gyptadika, perhaps from an Egyptian monk who lived there.