Iviron Monastery
Iviron Monastery is one of the 20 self-governing Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Mount Athos. It is ranked third in the Athonite, the hierarchical order of the twenty monasteries on Mount Athos.
About this building
The monastery was founded in 10th century by St John the Iberian, a monk of Gregorian origin. It was founded short after the founding of the monasteries of Megiste Lavra and Vatopedi, which are the first and second monasteries in the Athonite ranking respectively.
In the 14th century the monastery suffered considerable damage at the hands of Catalan pirates. The support of the Palaiologos family and the princes of Serbia and Georgia was crucial to its recovery. In the following centuries it had multiple benefactors, mostly Georgian princes.
It is home to the icon of Our Lady Portaitissa, which according to the sacred tradition of the Eastern Orthodox Church was painted by Luke the Evangelist.
