The Holy Monastery of St. Paul located in the western part of Mount Athos. It was founded by St Paul.

In the 14th century the Monastery was deserted and got the status of a cell, but by the efforts of the Serbian monks Gerasimus Radonia and Antonios Pegases it was turned from a cell into a monastery. In the next century St. Paul Monastery received support from John V and John VII Palaeologus, the Serbian Prince Giour, and his brother Lazarus. Many other Danubian princes, both Romanian and Greek were the Monastery's benefactors. The time when the Monastery flourished during the 17th century was followed by its decline in the 18th, caused by a shortage of funds caused by the savage taxation of the Turks. In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, with the help of the sacristan Grigorios and Archimandrite Anthimos Komninos the Monastery recovered and was able to pay off its debts.

The last catastrophes experienced by St. Paul were a fire in 1902 and a flood in 1911.

The Monastery has 12 chapels: St George is the Monastery's oldest building, adorned with wall-paintings belonging to the Cretan School. Subject to St. Paul are the picturesque Nea Skete and the Romanian Skete of St Demetrius.

The community today consists of some 30 hard-working monks.

Treasures held within the monastery

The gifts of the Three Wise Men, the foot of St Gregory the Theologian, a piece of the True Cross, sacred vessels, and vestments. The library contains 494 manuscripts and more than 12,000 printed books.

Miracle-working icons within the monastery

Our Lady Reflection it is believed that the icon belonged to Theodora, the wife of Constantinople Emperor  Theofil (829-842). This icon was thrown into fire by the Emperor who was an iconoclast but the icon remained intact. The icon was brought by Christians to the Holy Mountain, the back side of it  is partially burnt.

Our Lady Myrovlitissa the icon was brought to the Holy Mountain from Constantinople by Reverend Paul. The icon was given it’s name because of it’s ability to shed myrrh.