Divine Worship

Common worship events occupy a central place in the life of the monastery. Daily common worship is performed in the catholicon with the services of Midnight, Matins, Hours, Divine Liturgy, Vespers and Communion. Divine Liturgy, unless it is a day of a great feast, is celebrated in the chapels of the Monastery.

The worship life of the Monastery is determined by the Vatopedi liturgical Typikon. This Typikon originated from that of Jerusalem as adapted in Constantinople by the monks of Studion and was gradually formed in the Monastery from the 11th century onwards. It was presented complete in a manuscript of 1869 which is kept in the library of the Monastery.

The most important services performed on specific important holidays and occasions are:

a) the vigils of the great despotic and mother-of-the-gods feasts (Christmas, Dormition of the Virgin Mary, etc.), as well as the feasts of important saints

b) the services held on the four feasts of the Monastery; for the feast of the Annunciation of the Theotokos (March 25), of the Vatopedi Saints (July 10), of the Deposition of the Holy Belt of the Theotokos (August 31) and of the finding of the relics of Saint Evdokimos the Neophanous (October 5)

c) the consecration which is held on the first Sunday of each month with a procession of the icon of the Virgin Mary of Vimatarissa.

The common table, that is, the meal of all the monks that takes place twice a day, after the Divine Liturgy and after Vespers, is an extension of the service. There the monk does not cease to be spiritually nourished, since the reader reads from the pulpit in the center of the table so that everyone can hear him, lives of the Saints, Gerontikas, solemn speeches, Sunday sermons, etc.

In addition to common worship, each monk has the opportunity to practice prayer and mental inner work in his private cell. The ultimate goal is to implement the commandment "pray without ceasing" (Α´ Thess. 5:17), which is achieved by practicing the monologic prayer of Jesus, namely, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.” The monk initially prays for his personal sanctification. Then, as he is cleansed from passions and enlightened by divine Grace, he prays for his fellow man, for the afflicted, for the salvation of the whole world. This is the great offering of monasticism, prayer for the world.

Also, the study of the Holy Bible and Patristic books is a spiritual treat for every monk and is considered an extension of prayer.