The skete of
the Assumption of the Theotokos is a coenobic one, it belogs to the monastery of St. Panteleimonas.
It is believed
that the skete is the oldest Russian cloister in the world founded in the X
century by the Druzhinniks (personal bodyguard troops) of St. Olga
(the ruler of Kievan Rus) who was
baptised in Constantinople.
However there
is no precise information about the skete’s founders, whether they were Greeks
or Slavs. The fact that The Holy Mountain was
initially inhabited by Greeks and Slavs came there much later in XI century
confirms that the skete was founded
by Greeks. However taking in the consideration the fact that the skete was initially inhabited by Slavs and was later given to their possession makes the assumption of the skete’s Russian origin reliable.
The skete is
dedicated to the Assumption of the Theotokos. It’s famous for the Act of the
year 1143. On their transfer to the St. Panteleimon monastery
the monks asked the athonite elders
to reserve the old skete to them because “we become monks here, worked here and
guarded the skete and put it in order, our brothers died here”. Their wish was granted and in 1169 they had got the skete in
their possession.
In 1820 the
katholikon dedicated to St. Ioann of Rila and in 1885 a two-storey cell
dedicated to Sts.Cyril and Methodius was
constructed.
The skete is currently inhabited by 3 monks.
Treasures
kept within the skete
The part of the True Cross, the relics of the
Martyrs Eythimios, Akakios, Ignatios, Cyril and Methodius and Panteleimon.
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