Monastic duties

The daily work of the monks is necessary to meet the practical needs of the Vatopedi brotherhood, but it is also part of their exercise. The monk who diligently carries out his ministry has the opportunity to practice diligence, humility, patience, solidarity, love and thus receive as fruit the Grace of the Holy Spirit. He tries at every moment to fulfill the word of the Lord who came not “to be served but to serve” ( Matt. 20:28). He sees Christ in the face of his fellow man.

The ministry of each brother is determined on January 1st ^of each year by the Holy Synax of the Monastery according to its needs and the particular knowledge and abilities of each minister. Depending on the volume of obligations, certain monastic duties may be undertaken by more than one person or, conversely, some monks undertake more than one.

Some of the monastic duties remain unchanged over time, such as that of the baker (mangipas). However, most are the creation of specific conditions and needs of the Monastery and over time they show variations or changes in their name. Some are old, but were modified over time (such as that of the bourdonarian who was transformed into a car driver), others are the creation of newer conditions and needs (such as that of the person responsible for the maintenance of works of art), while some no longer exist, such as that of the goatherd, the miller, the postman, etc. The main monastic duties are the following:

The steward. He is responsible for supervising the workers, receiving the necessary items for the maintenance of the brothers, etc.

The secretary (or grammarian). He is responsible for drafting the Monastery's documents, maintaining the archive, correspondence, etc.

The treasurer. He undertakes the management of the financial affairs of the Monastery.

The custodian. He is responsible for the safekeeping of the sacred vessels and relics.

The librarian (or bookkeeper). He is responsible for the library (safekeeping of manuscripts and printed materials, serving readers, etc.).

The archivist. He is in charge of safeguarding the monastery's archives.

The typikaris. He is responsible for observing the liturgical Typikon.

Of the ecclesiastical. He takes care of the catholic.

The altar boy. He is responsible for the sacred altar of the catholicon.

The bell ringer. He takes care of the daily ringing of the bells.

The lord of the manor. He is responsible for the hospitality of visitors.

The dormitory boy. He is the lord's assistant.

The cloakroom. He is in charge of the cloakroom.

The cook. He prepares the monks' daily food.

The baker. He is responsible for making the bread.

The waiter. He is responsible for the table and the distribution of food to the monks and visitors.

The container's owner. He is responsible for the container, the place where the oil is stored.

The forest ranger. He is responsible for the protection and logging of the forest.

The gardener (or gardener or baxevani). He takes care of the agricultural crops of the Monastery.

The gatekeeper. He is the monastery's doorkeeper who welcomes visitors.

The laosynaktis. He is responsible for guiding the pilgrims.

Monastic duties, in a sense, also include the administrative positions of the Monastery, which are usually held for several years; the abbot (deacon for life), the commissioners, the representative in the Holy Community of Mount Athos and the protopistat of the Holy Community, an office that is assumed by a Vatopedi monk every five years. Also, some monks engage in some manual labor, characteristic of their particular skills. The most common of these manual labors are iconography, wood carving, the preparation of candles and incense, etc.

Publishing Project

The Vatopedi Monastery, within the framework of its ministries, has established a publishing program, wishing to help in the rekindling of the connection between Hellenism and Orthodoxy, the return to the old and life-giving traditions that lead man to spiritual peace, the search for eternal values. The publishing program of the Monastery includes spiritual, historical, scientific, and artistic publications.